Scripture Reference Window
Browser "Back" or "Alt+Left_Arrow" to return.

It is important to note, David said here in verse 23 his dead son would never return to him. David didn't have the understanding about the resurrection Jesus would later bring. (John 11:21-26) King David lived about a thousand years before Christ was born. David, along with he and Bathsheba's second son Solomon, both had the great honor of being used in the lineage of Jesus Christ. (Mat 1:1 and 1:6) David's firstborn son will likely return to life; as will David. [As a son of adultery, David's firstborn's early death likely spared him a tumultuous and maybe even troublesome life...]

2 Samuel 12:15-23 MWT . . .Then Nathan went to his house. And יהוה afflicted the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and he became sick. (16) David therefore sought God on behalf of the child. And David fasted and went in by he child and lay all night on the ground. (17) And the elders of his house stood beside him, to raise him up, but he would not, nor did he eat food with them. (18) 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." (19) But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David understood that the child was dead. And David said to his servants, "Is the child dead?" They said, "He is dead." (20) Then David arose from the earth and washed and anointed himself with oil and changed his clothes. And he went into the house of יהוה and worshiped. He then went to his own house. And when he asked, they set food before him, and he ate. (21) Then his servants said to him, "What is this thing that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was yet alive; but when the child died, you arose and ate food." (22) He said, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, 'Who knows whether יהוה will be gracious to me, that the child may live?' (23) But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can "I" bring him back to life? I shall be going to him, but as for him, he will not return to me."

2 Samuel 12:15-23 GNB . . .Then Nathan went home. The LORD (יהוה) caused the child that Uriah's wife had borne to David to become very sick. (16) David prayed to God that the child would get well. He refused to eat anything, and every night he went into his room and spent the night lying on the floor. (17) His court officials went to him and tried to make him get up, but he refused and would not eat anything with them. (18) A week later the child died, and David's officials were afraid to tell him the news. They said, "While the child was living, David wouldn't answer us when we spoke to him. How can we tell him that his child is dead? He might do himself some harm!" (19) When David noticed them whispering to each other, he realized that the child had died. So he asked them, "Is the child dead?" "Yes, he is," they answered. (20) David got up from the floor, took a bath, combed his hair, and changed his clothes. Then he went and worshiped in the house of the LORD (יהוה). When he returned to the palace, he asked for food and ate it as soon as it was served. (21) "We don't understand this," his officials said to him. "While the child was alive, you wept for him and would not eat; but as soon as he died, you got up and ate!" (22) "Yes," David answered, "I did fast and weep while he was still alive. I thought that the LORD (יהוה) might be merciful to me and not let the child die. (23) But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Could I bring the child back to life? I will some day go to where he is, but he can never come back to me."

2 Samuel 12:15-23 BBE . . .Then Nathan went back to his house. And the hand of the Lord (יהוה) was on David's son, the child of Uriah's wife, and it became very ill. (16) So David made prayer to God for the child; and he took no food day after day, and went in and, stretching himself out on the earth, was there all night. (17) And the chief men of his house got up and went to his side to make him get up from the earth, but he would not; and he would not take food with them. (18) And then on the seventh day the child's death took place. And David's servants were in fear of giving him the news of the child's death: for they said, Truly, while the child was still living he gave no attention when we said anything to him: what will he do to himself if we give him word that the child is dead? (19) But when David saw that his servants were talking together quietly, he was certain that the child was dead: and he said to his servants, Is the child dead? and they said, He is. (20) Then David got up from the earth, and after washing and rubbing himself with oil and changing his clothing, he went into the house of the Lord (יהוה) and gave worship: then he went back to his house, and at his order they put food before him and he had a meal. (21) Then his servants said to him, Why have you been acting in this way? you were weeping and going without food while the child was still living; but when the child was dead, you got up and had a meal. (22) And he said, While the child was still living I went without food and gave myself up to weeping: for I said, Who is able to say that the Lord (יהוה) will not have mercy on me and give the child life? (23) But now that the child is dead there is no reason for me to go without food; am I able to make him come back to life? I will go to him, but he will never come back to me.

2 Samuel 12:15-23 NWT . . .And Jehovah (יהוה) proceeded to deal a blow to the child that the wife of U·ri´ah had borne to David so that it took sick. 16 And David began to seek the [true] God in behalf of the boy, and David went on a strict fast and came in and spent the night and lay down on the earth. 17 So the older men of his house stood up over him to raise him up from the earth, but he did not consent and did not take bread in company with them. 18 And it came about on the seventh day that the child gradually died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child had died; for they said: “Look! While the child continued alive we did speak to him, and he did not listen to our voice; so how can we say to him, ‘The child has died’? Then he will certainly do something bad.” 19 When David got to see that his servants were whispering together, David began to discern that the child had died. So David said to his servants: “Has the child died?” To this they said: “He has died.” 20 Then David got up from the earth and washed and rubbed himself with oil and changed his mantles and came to the house of Jehovah (יהוה) and prostrated himself; after which he came into his own house and asked, and they promptly set bread before him and he began to eat. 21 Consequently his servants said to him: “What does this thing mean that you have done? For the sake of the child while alive you fasted and kept weeping; and just as soon as the child had died you got up and began to eat bread.” 22 To this he said: “While the child was yet alive I did fast and I kept weeping, because I said to myself, ‘Who is there knowing whether Jehovah (יהוה) may show me favor, and the child will certainly live?’ 23 Now that he has died, why is it I am fasting? Am I able to bring him back again? I am going to him, but, as for him, he will not return to me.”

Use browser "Back Arrow" or "Alt + Left_Arrow" keys to previous page. | Home

You will note the reference windows often include more than one translation of the Bible. The reason is to strive to gain the best possible understanding of the original Hebrew and Greek. Since we don't speak those languages, we rely on those who have come before and made the effort to translate those texts into English for us. Considering several translations gives the benefit of the understanding of several translation committees or individuals.
The Translations we quote are:

ALT - Analytical Literal Translation

ASV - American Standard Version (by the American revision committee in 1897).

BBE - 1965 Bible in Basic English

Bishops - 1568 Bishop's Bible

Calvin - 1856 by Calvin Translation Society

CEV - Contemporary English Version

Coverdale - 1535 Miles Coverdale Bible

Darby - 1889 Darby Bible

DRB - 1899 Douay-Rheims Bible

ESV - English Standard Version

GNB - Good News Bible

GW - God's Word Bible

ISV - International Standard Version

KJV - 1769 King James Version

KJV-1611 - Old King James Version from 1611

LitNT - Literal New Testament

LITV - Literal Translation of the Holy Bible

MKJV - 1962 Modern King James Version

Murdock - 1851 James Murdock New Testament

MWT - Modern World Translation

NWT - New World Translation

RV - Revised Version

Webster - 1833 Webster Bible

WTNT - 1525-26 William Tyndale New Testament

Wycliffe - 1394 Wycliffe Bible

YLT - 1862/1898 Young's Literal Translation

Scripture Reference Window
Browser "Back" or "Alt+Left_Arrow" to return.