2 Samuel 12:17

17 And the elder men of his house came, and constrained him, that he should rise up from the earth; and he would not, neither he ate meat with them. (And the older men of his household came, and compelled him to get up off the floor; but he would not, nor would he eat any food with them.)

2 Samuel 12:17 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 12:17

And the elders of his house arose, [and went] to him, to raise
him up from the earth
To persuade him to rise up, and sit upon a seat, and go to bed, after having taken some food; these were some of the chief officers at court, and had the management of the affairs of his household:

but he would not;
they could not persuade him to it:

neither did he eat bread with them;
that evening, as he had used to do; they being the princes of his court, who were wont to sit at table with him.

2 Samuel 12:17 In-Context

15 And Nathan turned again into his house. And the Lord smote the little child, whom the wife of Uriah childed to David, and he despaired. (And Nathan returned to his house. And the Lord struck the young child, whom Uriah's wife had borne to David, and he became very ill.)

16 And David prayed to the Lord for the little child; and David fasted by fasting, and entered asides half, and lay on the earth (and lay on the floor all night).

17 And the elder men of his house came, and constrained him, that he should rise up from the earth; and he would not, neither he ate meat with them. (And the older men of his household came, and compelled him to get up off the floor; but he would not, nor would he eat any food with them.)

18 And it befelled in the seventh day, that the young child died; and the servants of David dreaded to tell to him, that the little child was dead; for they said, Lo! while the little child lived yet, we spake to him, and he heard not our voice; how much more (now), if we say the child is dead, he shall torment himself? (And it befell that on the seventh day, the young child died; and David's servants feared to tell him that the young child was dead; for they said, Lo! while the young child yet lived, we spoke to him, and he would not listen to us; how much more now shall he torment himself, if we tell him that the child is dead?)

19 Therefore when David had heard his servants speaking privily, either muttering, he understood that the young child was dead; and he said to his servants, Whether the child is dead? (Is the child dead?) Which answered to him, He is dead.