2 Samuel 12:13-25 - David Repents, But The Child Dies

13 David said to Nathan: I have sinned against Jehovah. Nathan replied: Jehovah has taken away your sin. You will not die. 14 You have shown total contempt for Jehovah by this affair. Therefore the son that is born to you must die. 15 Nathan went home. Jehovah struck the child that Uriah's wife had given birth to David. The child became sick. 16 David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and lay on the ground all night. 17 The elders in his palace stood beside him to raise him up from the ground. But he was unwilling and he would not eat with them.

18 On the seventh day the child died. David's servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead. They thought: While the child was alive, we talked to him, and he would not listen to us. How can we tell him the child is dead? He may harm himself.

19 David saw that his servants were whispering to one another. He realized (discerned) that the child was dead. Is the child dead? David asked them. Yes, he is dead. They answered.

20 David got up from the floor. He took a bath, combed his hair, and changed his clothes. Then he went and worshiped in the Temple of Jehovah. After that he returned to the palace and ate.

21 We do not understand, his servants said, while the child was alive you would not eat. As soon as he died, you got up and ate!

22 David replied: I fasted and cried while the child lived. I thought Jehovah might be gracious to me and let the child live. 23 Why should I fast now that he is dead? Can I bring him back? Someday I will go to him. However he will not come back to me.

24 David comforted his wife Bathsheba. He went to bed with her, and she later gave birth to a son. David named him Solomon. Jehovah loved the child. 25 He sent a message through the prophet Nathan to name the baby Jedidiah (Jehovah's Beloved).