And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead?
On the seventh day, the child died. David's servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead. They said to each other, 'Look, when the child was still alive, we spoke to him and he wouldn't listen to us. How much more will he torment himself if we tell him the child is dead?'
The writer is describing how David's servants feared telling him his child had died because they had seen how intensely he grieved while the child was still alive.
📚 Historical Context
In the biblical narrative, King David had committed adultery with Bathsheba and arranged for her husband Uriah's death, leading to God's judgment through the prophet Nathan. As a consequence, their newborn child fell seriously ill, reflecting the serious repercussions of sin in ancient Israelite society. On the seventh day, the child died, and David's servants hesitated to inform him, fearing his emotional response based on his fervent prayers and fasting during the illness.
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