Berean Standard Bible
2 Samuel 12:18
18On 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.”
2 Samuel 12:18 in other versions
- King James Version (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?
- New International Version (NIV)On the seventh day the child died. David’s attendants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, “While the child was still living, he wouldn’t listen to us when we spoke to him. How can we now tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)On the seventh day the child died. And the servants of David 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 did not listen to us. How then can we say to him the child is dead? He may do himself some harm."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then on the seventh day it came to pass 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 would not heed our voice. How can we tell him that the child is dead? He may do some harm!”
Context of 2 Samuel 12:18
16David pleaded with God for the boy. He fasted and went into his house and spent the night lying in sackcloth on the ground. 17The 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.” 19When 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. 20Then 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.
Read all of 2 Samuel 122 Samuel 12:18 word by word
וַיְהִ֛י בַּיּ֥וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֖י וַיָּ֣מָת הַיָּ֑לֶד וַיִּֽרְאוּ֩ עַבְדֵ֨י דָוִ֜ד לְהַגִּ֥יד ל֣וֹ׀ כִּי־מֵ֣ת הַיֶּ֗לֶד כִּ֤י אָֽמְרוּ֙ הִנֵּה֩ בִהְי֨וֹת הַיֶּ֜לֶד חַ֗י דִּבַּ֤רְנוּ אֵלָיו֙ וְלֹא־שָׁמַ֣ע בְּקוֹלֵ֔נוּ וְאֵ֨יךְ נֹאמַ֥ר אֵלָ֛יו מֵ֥ת הַיֶּ֖לֶד וְעָשָׂ֥ה רָעָֽה׃Read the interlinear
- ·הָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
- On the seventhשְׁבִיעִיshebîy‛îy shebi‛îy · seventhH7637
- dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- the childיֶ֫לֶדyeled · youthH3206
- diedמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- But David’sדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- were afraidיָרֵאyârê' · to fearH3372
- to tellנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
- thatכִּיkîy · forH3588
- they saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Lookהִנֵּהhinnêh · beholdH2009
- was aliveחַיchay · aliveH2416
- we spokeדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- to himאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
- and he would notלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
- listen to usשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- listen to usקוֹלqôl qôl · voiceH6963
- So howאֵיךְ'êyk 'êykâh 'êykâkâh · how?H349
- He may even harm himselfעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- He may even harm himselfרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: harmH7451
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 12:18
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-25Verses 15-25 David now penned the 51st Psalm, in which, though he had been assured that his sin was pardoned, he prays earnestly for pardon, and greatly laments his sin. He was willing to bear the shame of it, to have it ever before him, to be continually upbraided with it. God gives us leave to be earnest with him in prayer for particular blessings, from trust in his power and general mercy, though we have no particular promise to build upon. David…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-31Chapter 12 expands on the final part of 2 Samuel 11:27.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 15-2315-23. the Lord struck the child ... and it was very sick--The first visible chastisement inflicted on David appeared on the person of that child which was the evidence and monument of his guilt. His domestics were surprised at his conduct, and in explanation of its singularity, it is necessary to remark that the custom in the East is to leave the nearest relative of a deceased person to the full and undisturbed indulgence of his grief, till on the third…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 12:18
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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