2 Samuel 12:16

2 Samuel 12:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth.
• New International Version (NIV)David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and spent the nights lying in sackcloth on the ground.
• English Standard Version (ESV)David therefore sought God on behalf of the child. And David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground.
• New King James Version (NKJV)David therefore pleaded with God for the child, and David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground.

Context of 2 Samuel 12:16

14However, because by this deed you have given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born to you shall surely die.” 15So Nathan went to his house. Then the Lord struck the child that Uriah’s widow bore to David, so that he was very sick. David therefore inquired of God for the child; and David fasted and went and lay all night on the ground. 17The elders of his household stood beside him in order to raise him up from the ground, but he was unwilling and would not eat food with them. 18Then it happened 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, “Behold, while the child was still alive, we spoke to him and he did not listen to our voice. How then can we tell him that the child is dead, since he might do himself harm!”

2 Samuel 12:16 word by word

וַיְבַקֵּ֥שׁ דָּוִ֛ד אֶת־הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים בְּעַ֣ד הַנָּ֑עַר וַיָּ֤צָם דָּוִד֙ צ֔וֹם וּבָ֥א וְלָ֖ן וְשָׁכַ֥ב בַּשָּׂק אָֽרְצָה׃Read the interlinear

• Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• therefore inquiredבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
• of Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• for the childנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
• fastedצוּםtsûm · to fastH6684
• fastedצוֹםtsôm tsôm · fastH6685
• and wentבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• layשָׁכַבshâkab · to lie down: lay downH7901
• all nightלוּןlûn lîyn · to lodgeH3885
• on the groundאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: soilH776

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 12:16

• 2 Samuel 12:22He said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who knows, the Lord may be gracious to me, that the child may live.’
• Psalms 50:15Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me.”
• Isaiah 26:16O Lord, they sought You in distress; They could only whisper a prayer, Your chastening was upon them.
• Joel 2:12“Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “Return to Me with all your heart, And with fasting, weeping and mourning;
• Jonah 3:9Who knows, God may turn and relent and withdraw His burning anger so that we will not perish.”
• Esther 4:16“Go, assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa, and fast for me; do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maidens also will fast in the same way. And thus I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish.”
• Psalms 69:10When I wept in my soul with fasting, It became my reproach.
• Isaiah 22:12Therefore in that day the Lord God of hosts called you to weeping, to wailing, To shaving the head and to wearing sackcloth.
• Acts 9:9And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
• 2 Samuel 13:31Then the king arose, tore his clothes and lay on the ground; and all his servants were standing by with clothes torn.
• Job 20:12“Though evil is sweet in his mouth And he hides it under his tongue,

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 12:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16David - besought God for the child - How could he do so, after the solemn assurance that he had from God that the child should die? The justice of God absolutely required that the penalty of the law should be exacted; either the father or the son shall die. This could not be reversed.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16The death of the infant child of one of the numerous harem of an Oriental monarch would in general be a matter of little moment to the father. The deep feeling shown by David on this occasion is both an indication of his affectionate and tender nature, and also a proof of the strength of his passion for Bath-sheba. He went into his most private chamber, his closet Matthew 6:6, and “lay upon the earth” 2 Samuel 13:31, rather “the ground,” meaning the floor…Read the comment
• 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 12:16

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Bereavement
• Children
• David
• Fasting
• Mourning
• Parents
• Seven

In the dictionaries

• David
• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Bathsheba
• Fast
• Fourfold
• Mourn
• Parable
• Samuel, Books of
• Solomon

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