2 Samuel 12:16–23

¹⁶David therefore pleaded with God for the child, and David fasted and went in and ^play all night on the ground. ¹⁷So the elders of his house arose and went to him, to raise him up from the ground. But he would not, nor did he eat food with them. ¹⁸Then on the seventh day it came to pass that the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead. For they said, “Indeed, while the child was alive, we spoke to him, and he would not heed our voice. How can we tell him that the child is dead? He may do some harm!”

¹⁹When David saw that his servants were whispering, David perceived that the child was dead. Therefore David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?”

And they said, “He is dead.”

²⁰So David arose from the ground, washed and ^qanointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he went into the house of the Lord and ^rworshiped. Then he went to his own house; and when he requested, they set food before him, and he ate. ²¹Then 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 died, you arose and ate food.”

²²And he said, “While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; ^sfor I said, ‘Who can tell whether ²the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ ²³But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go ^tto him, but ^uhe shall not return to me.”