Read this passage and open each verse for the full verse feed and commentary tools.
16David therefore pleaded with 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 help 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 David’s servants 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 us. How then can we tell him that the child is dead, since he might do himself harm?” 19But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; so David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” And they said, “He is dead.” 20So David got up from the ground, washed, anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and when he asked, they served him food, and he ate.