2 Samuel 12:20

20 Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his clothing, and entered into the house of Jehovah and worshipped; then he came to his own house and required them to set bread before him, and he ate.

2 Samuel 12:20 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 12:20

Then David arose from the earth
From the floor on which he lay:

and washed, and anointed [himself], and changed his apparel;
neither of which he had done during his time of fasting:

and came into the house of the Lord, and worshipped;
went into the tabernacle he had built for the ark of God, and then in prayer submitted himself to the will of God, and acknowledged his justice in what he had done; gave thanks to God that he had brought him to a sense of his sin, and repentance for it, and had applied his pardoning grace to him, and given him satisfaction as to the eternal welfare and happiness of the child, as appears from ( 2 Samuel 12:23 ) ;

then he, came to his own house;
from the house of God, having finished his devotion there:

and when he required;
ordered food to be brought in:

they set bread before him, and he did eat:
whereas before, while the child was living, he refused to eat.

2 Samuel 12:20 In-Context

18 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 spoke to him, and he would not hearken to our voice; and how shall we say to him, The child is dead? he may do some harm.

19 But David saw that his servants whispered, and David perceived that the child was dead; and David said to his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead.

20 Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his clothing, and entered into the house of Jehovah and worshipped; then he came to his own house and required them to set bread before him, and he ate.

21 And his servants said to him, What thing is this which thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child alive; but as soon as the child is dead, thou dost rise and eat bread.

22 And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept; for I thought, Who knows? [perhaps] Jehovah will be gracious to me, that the child may live.