David Realizes The Child Has Died

15Then Nathan went to his house, and Yahweh struck the child whom Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and it became sick.

16And David sought God on behalf of the boy. David fasted a fast, and he went in and spent the night and lay on the ground.

17The elders of his house stood beside him to raise him up from the ground, but he was unwilling, and he would not eat bread with them.

18And on the seventh day the child died. And David’s servants 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 say to him, ‘The child is dead’? He may do harm.”

19When David saw that his servants were whispering, David understood that the child was dead. So David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” And they said, “He is dead.”

20Then David got up from the ground, washed, anointed himself, and changed his clothes. He went into the house of Yahweh and bowed down. Then he went to his house, asked, and they set bread before him, and he ate.

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

22He said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, because I said, ‘Who knows? Yahweh may be gracious to me, and the child may live.’”

23But now he is dead. Why should I fast any longer? Can I bring him back again? I am going to him, but he will not return to me.