On the seventh day, the child died. David’s servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him and he didn’t listen to our voice. How will he then harm himself if we tell him that the child is dead?”
THE SURROUNDING PASSAGE
2 Samuel 12:18 in context
2 Samuel 12:15–21
15
Then Nathan departed to his house.
The LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and he was very sick.
16
David therefore begged God for the child; and David fasted, and went in and lay all night on the ground.
17
The elders of his house arose beside him, to raise him up from the earth; but he would not, and he didn’t eat bread with them.
18
Selected verse
On the seventh day, the child died. David’s servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him and he didn’t listen to our voice. How will he then harm himself if we tell him that the child is dead?”
19
But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; and David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?”
They said, “He is dead.”
20
Then David arose from the earth, and washed and anointed himself, and changed his clothing; and he came into the LORD’s house, and worshiped. Then he came to his own house; and when he requested, they set bread before him and he ate.
21
Then his servants said to him, “What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive, but when the child was dead, you rose up and ate bread.”
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