2 Samuel 12:21

KJV

Then said his servants unto him, What thing [is] this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, [while it was] alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.

KJV (with Strong's)

Then said {H559} his servants {H5650} unto him, What thing {H1697} is this that thou hast done {H6213}? thou didst fast {H6684} and weep {H1058} for the child {H3206}, while it was alive {H2416}; but when the child {H3206} was dead {H4191}, thou didst rise {H6965} and eat {H398} bread {H3899}.

Complete Jewish Bible

His servants asked him, "What are you doing? You fasted and wept for the child while it was alive; but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat food!"

Berean Standard Bible

“What is this you have done?” his servants asked. “While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but when he died, you got up and ate.”

American Standard Version

Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
This verse captures the profound bewilderment of King David's servants, who observe a stark and seemingly contradictory shift in their master's behavior. While their child lay gravely ill, David had engaged in intense, public mourning—fasting, weeping, and lying on the ground in supplication. Yet, immediately upon the child's death, David rose, washed, changed clothes, worshipped, and ate, prompting his servants to question the rationale behind such an unexpected and abrupt cessation of his grief rituals.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse immediately follows the death of the child born to David and Bathsheba, a judgment prophesied by Nathan the prophet in [2 Samuel 12:14](/2-samuel/12-14 "Nathan's Prophecy of the Child's Death"). Prior to the child's passing, David had engaged in a fervent, seven-day period of intense fasting, weeping, and lying prostrate on the ground, refusing comfort and food, as recounted in [2 Samuel 12:16-17](/2-samuel/12-16 "David's Earnest Prayer and Fasting for His Child"). His servants, deeply concerned for his well-being, hesitated to tell him of the child's death, fearing an even more extreme reaction ([2 Samuel 12:18](/2-samuel/12-18 "Servants' Fear of David's Reaction")). However, David's immediate and composed response upon discerning the child's death—rising, washing, changing clothes, worshipping, and eating—directly contradicts their expectations, leading to their bewildered question in [2 Samuel 12:21](/2-samuel/12-21 "Servants' Question to David"). This sets the stage for David's profound theological explanation in the subsequent verses ([2 Samuel 12:22-23](/2-samuel/12-22 "David's Explanation of His Actions")).

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** In ancient Israel and the broader Near East, elaborate and prolonged mourning rituals were customary upon the death of a child or loved one. These often included tearing clothes, wearing sackcloth, sitting in ashes, abstaining from food, and public lamentation, sometimes for many days or even weeks. Such practices were not merely expressions of grief but also social and religious obligations, demonstrating respect for the deceased and acknowledging the gravity of loss. David's initial fasting and prostration aligned with these customs, making his sudden shift to normalcy upon the child's death highly unusual and culturally perplexing to his servants. Their question reflects the societal expectation that grief would intensify, not cease, at the moment of death, especially for a king who had already shown such deep distress.

* **Key Themes:** This verse highlights several profound themes. Firstly, it underscores **Divine Sovereignty and Acceptance of God's Will**. David's actions demonstrate a deep submission to God's ultimate decree. While there was hope, he earnestly pleaded with God for intervention; once God's decision was clear and final, he accepted it without prolonged despair, embodying a trust similar to Job's declaration in [Job 1:21](/job/1-21 "Job's Worship in Loss"). Secondly, it offers insight into the **Nature of Grief and Hope**. David's intense mourning was an appropriate expression of human sorrow and a fervent act of faith-filled intercession while the possibility of life remained. His subsequent acceptance, however, reveals a mature understanding that once God's will is revealed, the focus shifts from pleading for a different outcome to trusting in divine wisdom, even in sorrow. This balance between desperate prayer and faithful acceptance is a crucial aspect of biblical faith.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **צום (Hebrew, _tsom'_):** This word, translated as "fast," denotes a deliberate abstinence from food for spiritual or religious purposes. It is often accompanied by prayer, humility, and a turning to God in earnest supplication, signifying a profound state of dependence and distress. David's fasting was not merely a physical act but a deep spiritual discipline, an outward manifestation of his desperate plea for the child's life.
* **בכה (Hebrew, _bakah'_):** Meaning "weep" or "lament," this term conveys a deep, often audible, expression of sorrow, grief, or remorse. It signifies a profound emotional outpouring, indicating the intensity of David's anguish and the depth of his desire for God's mercy to spare the child.
* **קום (Hebrew, _qum'_):** Translated as "rise" or "get up," this verb signifies a deliberate act of standing up or ceasing an activity. In this context, it marks David's intentional transition from his posture of mourning and supplication to one of activity and acceptance. It is a physical manifestation of a spiritual and emotional shift.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Then said his servants unto him, What thing [is] this that thou hast done?":** This opening clause immediately establishes the servants' utter confusion and astonishment. Their question is not accusatory but born of genuine bewilderment, as David's behavior defied all cultural expectations and their understanding of grief. It highlights the unexpected nature of his actions from an external perspective.
* **"thou didst fast and weep for the child, [while it was] alive;":** This part of the servants' question recounts David's intense and public display of grief and supplication. It emphasizes the duration and depth of his suffering *while there was still hope* for the child's survival. They recall his desperate efforts to sway God's decision, underscoring the contrast with his later behavior.
* **"but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.":** This final clause presents the stark and perplexing contrast. The servants note David's immediate cessation of mourning rituals—rising, washing, changing clothes, and eating—the moment the child died. This abrupt shift from intense sorrow to apparent normalcy is what truly baffles them, as it completely reverses the expected trajectory of grief.

#### Literary Devices
The verse primarily employs **Contrast** to highlight the dramatic shift in David's behavior. The servants explicitly juxtapose David's actions "while it was alive" (fasting, weeping) with his actions "when the child was dead" (rising, eating). This stark **Antithesis** underscores the unexpected nature of David's response. Furthermore, the servants' question, "What thing [is] this that thou hast done?", functions as a form of **Rhetorical Question**, designed not for a simple answer but to express their profound bewilderment and to prompt David's subsequent, theologically rich explanation. The entire exchange also serves as a form of **Foreshadowing**, setting up David's profound theological rationale for his actions in the verses that follow ([2 Samuel 12:22-23](/2-samuel/12-22 "David's Explanation of His Actions")), thereby revealing a deeper spiritual wisdom than his servants possessed.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
David's response to the death of his child, as observed by his servants, offers a profound theological lesson on the nature of prayer, divine sovereignty, and the appropriate response to God's definitive will. His fervent prayer and fasting while the child was alive demonstrate the biblical principle of earnest intercession, believing that God *can* intervene and alter circumstances. However, his immediate acceptance and worship upon the child's death reveal a mature faith that understands God's ultimate authority and wisdom, even when His answer is not what was desired. It teaches that while we wrestle in prayer for God's mercy, once His will is clear and irreversible, true faith moves from pleading to peaceful submission and trust, recognizing that God's ways are higher and His purposes ultimately good. This balance prevents despair from consuming the believer, allowing them to move forward in faith and continued worship.

* [Job 1:21](/job/1-21 "Job's Worship in Loss")
* [Lamentations 3:22-23](/lamentations/3-22 "God's Faithfulness in Sorrow")
* [Philippians 4:6-7](/philippians/4-6 "Prayer and Peace")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
David's seemingly contradictory behavior, and his subsequent explanation, provide a powerful model for believers navigating loss, grief, and unanswered prayers. His example teaches us the vital balance between fervent, persistent prayer and humble, faithful acceptance of God's sovereign will. While there is breath and hope, we are called to pour out our hearts to God with every plea and petition, trusting in His power and mercy. Yet, when God's definitive "no" or His unchangeable decree becomes clear, wisdom and faith call us to shift from desperate supplication to a posture of acceptance and worship. This does not negate grief, but transforms it, preventing it from becoming consuming despair. David's ability to rise, worship, and eat signifies a healthy transition from intense mourning to a renewed engagement with life and God's purposes, trusting that even in loss, God remains good and worthy of praise. It encourages us to find our peace not in the outcome we desire, but in the unwavering character of God.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How do I typically respond when my earnest prayers are not answered in the way I hoped?**
* **What does David's immediate cessation of mourning teach me about the nature of true faith and acceptance of God's sovereignty?**
* **How can I cultivate a heart that is both fervent in prayer and also quick to accept God's ultimate will, even when it brings sorrow?**
* **In what ways might my grief be hindering my ability to worship or move forward in God's purposes?**

### FAQ
**Why were David's servants so confused by his actions?**

Answer: David's servants were confused because his behavior directly contradicted the deeply ingrained cultural and religious norms of mourning in ancient Israel. Typically, grief was expected to intensify and prolong after a death, especially for a child. David's initial intense fasting and weeping were understandable, but his immediate shift to washing, changing clothes, worshipping, and eating upon the child's death was utterly unexpected and counter-cultural. They anticipated a deeper descent into despair, not a sudden return to normalcy, which prompted their bewildered question in [2 Samuel 12:21](/2-samuel/12-21 "Servants' Question to David").

**Does David's response imply that deep grieving is wrong or unnecessary?**

Answer: No, David's response does not imply that deep grieving is wrong or unnecessary. In fact, his intense fasting and weeping *before* the child's death demonstrate the profound sorrow and desperate intercession that are natural and biblical responses to suffering and impending loss. David's actions teach us the importance of grieving fully and praying fervently while there is hope. However, once God's will was definitively revealed through the child's death, David's faith allowed him to move from a posture of pleading to one of acceptance and worship. It highlights a healthy, faith-filled approach to grief that acknowledges sorrow but does not allow it to become an endless, despairing state, as he explains in [2 Samuel 12:22-23](/2-samuel/12-22 "David's Explanation of His Actions").

**What does David's behavior teach us about the nature of prayer?**

Answer: David's behavior teaches us a crucial lesson about the nature of prayer: it is a powerful means of earnest petition and intercession, but it is ultimately submitted to God's sovereign will. David prayed with all his heart, believing God *could* intervene, demonstrating the biblical call to pray without ceasing ([1 Thessalonians 5:17](/1-thessalonians/5-17 "Pray Without Ceasing")). However, his immediate acceptance of the outcome, even when painful, shows that true faith also trusts God's wisdom and authority when His answer is "no." Prayer is not about manipulating God, but about aligning our hearts with His, even when His ways are mysterious or difficult. It teaches us to pray fervently for what we desire, but to ultimately rest in God's perfect plan, as seen in [Matthew 26:39](/matthew/26-39 "Jesus' Prayer in Gethsemane").

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
David's profound response to the death of his child, moving from desperate intercession to immediate acceptance and worship, finds its ultimate fulfillment and deeper meaning in the person and work of Jesus Christ. David's hope, as he articulates in [2 Samuel 12:23](/2-samuel/12-23 "David's Hope of Rejoining His Child"), was that he would one day "go to him"—a hope rooted in the belief in an afterlife and reunion. This foreshadows the Christian hope of resurrection and eternal life through Christ. While David's child died and remained in the grave, Jesus Christ conquered death itself, rising victorious from the tomb ([Romans 6:9](/romans/6-9 "Christ's Victory Over Death")). Through His sacrifice and resurrection, Jesus has "destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel" ([2 Timothy 1:10](/2-timothy/1-10 "Jesus Bringing Life and Immortality")). David's acceptance of death, though painful, pointed to a future reunion; for believers in Christ, death is not a final separation but a transition to eternal fellowship with God and with those who have died in Christ ([1 Thessalonians 4:13-18](/1-thessalonians/4-13 "The Comfort of the Resurrection")). Our ability to rise from grief and worship, even in the face of loss, is empowered by the knowledge that Christ has overcome the sting of death ([1 Corinthians 15:54-57](/1-corinthians/15-54 "Victory Through Christ")) and promises a future where "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away" ([Revelation 21:4](/revelation/21-4 "No More Death or Sorrow")). David's faith-filled acceptance is a shadow of the ultimate hope we have in the resurrected Christ, who makes all things new.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

1 Corinthians 2:15

But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.