And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.
The senior servants and advisors in his household came to him and tried to get him to get up from the ground, but he refused. He also wouldn't eat any food with them.
The writer is showing how David was so overwhelmed with grief and desperation that he refused all comfort and care from those around him.
📚 Historical Context
This verse occurs during David's intense fasting and prayer while his newborn son (conceived through his affair with Bathsheba) was critically ill as divine judgment. David lay on the ground for seven days, refusing food and comfort, desperately hoping God would spare the child's life. The 'elders of his house' were his most trusted servants and advisors who were concerned about the king's extreme behavior.
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