2 Samuel 12:21

21 His servants asked him, "What's going on with you? While the child was alive you fasted and wept and stayed up all night. Now that he's dead, you get up and eat."

2 Samuel 12:21 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 12:21

Then said his servants unto him, what thing [is] this that
thou hast done?
&c.] Or what is the reason of such conduct and behaviour? they knew what was done, but they did not know the meaning of it, which is what they inquired after:

thou didst fast and weep for the child, [while it was] alive;
prayed with fasting and weeping for it, that it might live and not die:

but when the child was dead thou didst rise and eat bread;
and appeared cheerful; this seemed strange to them, when they expected his sorrow would be increased.

2 Samuel 12:21 In-Context

19 David noticed that the servants were whispering behind his back, and realized that the boy must have died. He asked the servants, "Is the boy dead?" "Yes," they answered. "He's dead."

20 David got up from the floor, washed his face and combed his hair, put on a fresh change of clothes, then went into the sanctuary and worshiped. Then he came home and asked for something to eat. They set it before him and he ate.

21 His servants asked him, "What's going on with you? While the child was alive you fasted and wept and stayed up all night. Now that he's dead, you get up and eat."

22 "While the child was alive," he said, "I fasted and wept, thinking God might have mercy on me and the child would live.

23 But now that he's dead, why fast? Can I bring him back now? I can go to him, but he can't come to me."