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2 Samuel 12:18

David
Death and lossGrief

16 David pleaded with God for the boy. He fasted and went into his house and spent the night lying in sackcloth on the ground.

17 The elders of his household stood beside him to help him up from the ground, but he was unwilling and would not eat anything with them.

On the seventh day the child died. But David’s servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Look, while the child was alive, we spoke to him, and he would not listen to us. So how can we tell him the child is dead? He may even harm himself.”

19 When David saw that his servants were whispering to one another, he perceived that the child was dead. So he asked his servants, “Is the child dead?” “He is dead,” they replied.

20 Then David got up from the ground, washed and anointed himself, changed his clothes, and went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they set food before him, and he ate.

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Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

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BSB
On the seventh day the child died. But David’s servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Look, while the child was alive, we spoke to him, and he would not listen to us. So how can we tell him the child is dead? He may even harm himself.”
KJV
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?
WEB
On the seventh day, the child died. David’s servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him and he didn’t listen to our voice. How will he then harm himself if we tell him that the child is dead?”
ASV
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 hearkened not unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead!
DARBY
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.
BLB
And it came to pass on the seventh day that the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Indeed, while the child was alive, we spoke to him and he did not listen to our voice. And how can we tell him the child is dead? He may do some harm.”
ÅB
På den syvende dag døde barnet; men Davids tjenere torde ikke fortelle ham at barnet var død; de tenkte: Mens barnet var i live, talte vi til ham, men han hørte ikke på oss; hvordan kan vi da nå si til ham at barnet er død? Han kunne gjøre en ulykke på seg.
OTB
Så skjedde det på den syvende dagen at barnet døde. Men Davids tjenere var redde for å fortelle ham at barnet var dødt, for de sa, "Se, mens barnet ennå levde, talte vi til ham og han lyttet ikke til vår stemme; hvordan kan vi da fortelle ham at barnet er dødt, siden han kanskje vil skade seg selv?"
B1930
På den syvende dag døde barnet; men Davids tjenere torde ikke fortelle ham at barnet var død; de tenkte: Mens barnet var i live, talte vi til ham, men han hørte ikke på oss; hvorledes kan vi da nu si til ham at barnet er død? Han kunde gjøre en ulykke på sig.

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