15 So Nathan went to his house.

Loss of a Child

Then the Lord struck the child that Uriah’s 1widow bore to David, so that he was very sick.

16 David therefore inquired of God for the child; and David afasted and went and blay all night on the ground.

17 aThe elders of his household stood beside him in order to raise him up from the ground, but he was unwilling and would not eat food with them.

18 Then it happened on the seventh day that the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Behold, while the child was still alive, we spoke to him and he did not listen to our voice. How then can we tell him that the child is dead, since he might do himself harm!”

19 But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; so David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” And they said, “He is dead.”

20 So David arose from the ground, awashed, anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he came into the house of the Lord and bworshiped. Then he came to his own house, and when he requested, they set food before him and he ate.

21 Then his servants said to him, “What is this thing that you have done? 1While the child was alive, you fasted and wept; but when the child died, you arose and ate food.”

22 He said, “While the child was still alive, aI fasted and wept; for I said, ‘bWho knows, the Lord may be gracious to me, that the child may live.’

23 “But now he has died; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? aI will go to him, but bhe will not return to me.”