17. So the elders of his house stood up over him, to raise him up from the earth. But he would not, nor did he eat food with them.
18. And on the seventh day it came to be that the child died. And the servants of Dawiḏ were afraid to inform him that the child was dead, for they said, “Look, while the child was still alive, we spoke to him, and he would not listen to our voice. And how do we say to him that the child is dead? Then he shall do evil!”
19. And Dawiḏ saw that his servants were whispering, and Dawiḏ perceived that the child was dead. Then Dawiḏ said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” And they said, “He is dead.”
20. Dawiḏ then rose up from the ground, and washed and anointed himself, and changed his garments. And he went into the House of יהוה and bowed himself, then came to his own house, and asked, and they set food before him, so he ate.
21. And his servants said to him, “What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept because of the living child, but when the child died, you rose up and ate food.”
22. And he said, “While the child was alive I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who knows whether יהוה shows favour unto me, and the child shall live?’
23. “But now he is dead, why should I fast? Am I able to bring him back again? I am going to him, but he does not return to me.”
24. And Dawiḏ comforted Bathsheḇa his wife, and went in to her and lay with her. So she bore a son, and he called his name Shelomoh. And יהוה loved him,