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

14But, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born to thee shall surely die. 15And Nathan departed to his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and he was very sick. David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth. 17And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them. 18And 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: how will he then be grieved, if we tell him that the child is dead?

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
• besoughtבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
• Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• childנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
• fastedצוּםtsûm · to fastH6684
• fastedצוֹםtsôm tsôm · fastH6685
• inבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• layשָׁכַבshâkab · to lie down: lay downH7901
• nightלוּןlûn lîyn · to lodgeH3885
• earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: soilH776

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 12:16

• 2 Samuel 12:22And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?
• Psalms 50:15And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.
• Isaiah 26:16LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them.
• Joel 2:12Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:
• Jonah 3:9Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?
• Esther 4:16Go, gather all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in to the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.
• Psalms 69:10When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach.
• Isaiah 22:12And in that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth:
• Acts 9:9And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
• 2 Samuel 13:31Then the king arose, and tore his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn.
• Job 20:12Though wickedness may be sweet in his mouth, though he may hide 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