2 Samuel 12:21

2 Samuel 12:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.
• New International Version (NIV)His attendants asked him, “Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then his servants said to him, "What is this thing that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive; but when the child died, you arose and ate food."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then his servants said to him, “What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive, but when the child died, you arose and ate food.”

Context of 2 Samuel 12:21

19When David saw that his servants were whispering to each other, he guessed that the baby was dead. So he asked his servants, “Is the baby dead?” “He is dead,” they replied. 20Then David got up from the ground. He washed, anointed himself, changed his clothes, went to the Lord’s house, and worshiped. Then he went home and requested something to eat. So they served him food, and he ate. His servants asked him, “Why have you done this? While the baby was alive, you fasted and wept, but when he died, you got up and ate food.” 22He answered, “While the baby was alive, I fasted and wept because I thought, ‘Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let him live.’ 23But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I’ll go to him, but he will never return to me.”

2 Samuel 12:21 word by word

וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ עֲבָדָיו֙ אֵלָ֔יו מָֽה־הַדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשִׂ֑יתָה בַּעֲב֞וּר הַיֶּ֤לֶד חַי֙ צַ֣מְתָּ וַתֵּ֔בְךְּ וְכַֽאֲשֶׁר֙ מֵ֣ת הַיֶּ֔לֶד קַ֖מְתָּ וַתֹּ֥אכַל לָֽחֶם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• his servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• unto him, What thingדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
• this that thou hast doneעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• thou didst fastצוּםtsûm · to fastH6684
• and weepבָּכָהbâkâh · to weepH1058
• for the childיֶ֫לֶדyeled · youthH3206
• aliveחַיchay · aliveH2416
• was deadמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• thou didst riseקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
• and eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
• breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · foodH3899

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 12:21

• 1 Corinthians 2:15The spiritual person, however, can evaluate everything, and yet he himself cannot be evaluated by anyone.

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 12:21

• 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. 21-23David mourned and fasted before his son died, hoping that God would remove the punishment.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 12:21

• Bereavement
• David
• Fasting
• Parents

In the dictionaries

• David
• Fast
• Fourfold
• Parable
• Samuel, Books of
• Solomon
• Uriah
• Bible, the
• Fast; Fasting
• Gesture

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