2 Samuel 12:21

21 "Why are you acting this way?" his servants asked. "When the child was alive, you fasted and cried and kept watch, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat food!"

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 But when David saw his servants whispering, he realized the child had died. "Is the child dead?" David asked his servants. "Yes," they said, "he is dead."

20 Then David rose from the ground, bathed, anointed himself, and changed his clothes. He entered the LORD's house and bowed down. Then he entered his own house. He requested food, which was brought to him, and he ate.

21 "Why are you acting this way?" his servants asked. "When the child was alive, you fasted and cried and kept watch, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat food!"

22 David replied, "While the child was alive I fasted and wept because I thought, Who knows? The LORD may have mercy on me and let the child live.

23 But he is dead now. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? No. I am going where he is, but he won't come back to me."

Footnotes

• [a]. LXXL, OL; MT lacks kept watch.