"David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth. {fasted: He…" — 2 Samuel 12:16

2 Samuel 12:16 · KJV

“David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth. {fasted: Heb. fasted a fast}”

— 2 Samuel 12:16

Verse 15

And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick.

Verse 17

And the elders of his house arose, {and went} to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.

2 Samuel 12 — Context

Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also {that is} born unto thee shall surely die.

And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick.

David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth. {fasted: Heb. fasted a fast}

And the elders of his house arose, {and went} to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.

And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead? {vex: Heb. do hurt}

Cross References

2 Samuel 13:31

Then the king arose, and tare his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent.

Psalms 50:15

And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.

Psalms 69:10

When I wept, {and chastened} my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach.

2 Samuel 12:22

And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell {whether} GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?

Esther 4:16

Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which {is} not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. {present: Heb. found}

Acts 9:9

And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.

1 Kings 21:27

And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.

Jonah 3:9

Who can tell {if} God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?

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