2 Samuel 12:17
New International Version
The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them.

New Living Translation
The elders of his household pleaded with him to get up and eat with them, but he refused.

English Standard Version
And the elders of his house stood beside him, to raise him from the ground, but he would not, nor did he eat food with them.

Berean Standard Bible
The elders of his household stood beside him to help him up from the ground, but he was unwilling and would not eat anything with them.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
So the elders of his house arose and went to him, to raise him up from the ground. But he would not, nor did he eat food with them.

New American Standard Bible
The elders of his household stood beside him in order to help him up from the ground, but he was unwilling and would not eat food with them.

NASB 1995
The elders of his household stood beside him in order to raise him up from the ground, but he was unwilling and would not eat food with them.

NASB 1977
And the elders of his household stood beside him in order to raise him up from the ground, but he was unwilling and would not eat food with them.

Legacy Standard Bible
And the elders of his household stood beside him in order to raise him up from the ground, but he was unwilling and would not eat food with them.

Amplified Bible
The elders of his household stood by him [in the night] to lift him up from the ground, but he was unwilling [to get up] and would not eat food with them.

Christian Standard Bible
The elders of his house stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he was unwilling and would not eat anything with them.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The elders of his house stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he was unwilling and would not eat anything with them.

American Standard Version
And the elders of his house arose, and stood beside him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.

Contemporary English Version
His officials stood beside him and tried to talk him into getting up. But he would not get up or eat with them.

English Revised Version
And the elders of his house arose, and stood beside him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The older leaders in his palace stood beside him to raise him up from the ground, but he was unwilling. And he wouldn't eat with them.

Good News Translation
His court officials went to him and tried to make him get up, but he refused and would not eat anything with them.

International Standard Version
His closest advisors at the palace got up, remained with him, and tried to help him get up from the ground, but he would not do so. He also wouldn't eat with them.

Majority Standard Bible
The elders of his household stood beside him to help him up from the ground, but he was unwilling and would not eat anything with them.

NET Bible
The elders of his house stood over him and tried to lift him from the ground, but he was unwilling, and refused to eat food with them.

New Heart English Bible
And the elders of his house approached him to lift him up from the ground, but he was unwilling, and he would not eat food with them.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.

World English Bible
The elders of his house arose beside him, to raise him up from the earth; but he would not, and he didn’t eat bread with them.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And [the] elderly of his house rise against him, to raise him up from the earth, and he has not been willing, nor has he eaten bread with them;

Young's Literal Translation
And the elders of his house rise against him, to raise him up from the earth, and he hath not been willing, nor hath he eaten with them bread;

Smith's Literal Translation
And the old men of his house will rise to him to lift him up from the earth; and he would not, and he ate not bread with them.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the ancients of his house came, to make him rise from the ground: but he would not, neither did he eat meat with them.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Then the elders of his house came, urging him to rise up from the ground. And he was not willing, nor would he eat a meal with them.

New American Bible
The elders of his house stood beside him to get him to rise from the ground; but he would not, nor would he take food with them.

New Revised Standard Version
The elders of his house stood beside him, urging him to rise from the ground; but he would not, nor did he eat food with them.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And the eiders of his household arose and tried to raise him up from the ground, but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the Elders of his household arose to raise him up from the ground, and he was not willing, and he did not eat bread with them
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the elders of his house arose, and stood beside him, to raise him up from the earth; but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the elders of his house arose and went to him to raise him up from the ground, but he would not rise, nor did he eat bread with them.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
David's Loss and Repentance
16David pleaded with God for the boy. He fasted and went into his house and spent the night lying in sackcloth on the ground. 17The elders of his household stood beside him to help him up from the ground, but he was unwilling and would not eat anything with them. 18On the seventh day the child died. But David’s servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Look, while the child was alive, we spoke to him, and he would not listen to us. So how can we tell him the child is dead? He may even harm himself.”…

Cross References
Psalm 35:13
Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting, but my prayers returned unanswered.

Jonah 3:5-9
And the Ninevites believed God. They proclaimed a fast and dressed in sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least. / When word reached the king of Nineveh, he got up from his throne, took off his royal robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. / Then he issued a proclamation in Nineveh: “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let no man or beast, herd or flock, taste anything at all. They must not eat or drink. ...

Matthew 6:16-18
When you fast, do not be somber like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward. / But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, / so that your fasting will not be obvious to men, but only to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Esther 4:16
“Go and assemble all the Jews who can be found in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day, and I and my maidens will fast as you do. After that, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish!”

Daniel 9:3
So I turned my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and petition, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.

Joel 2:12-13
“Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning.” / So rend your hearts and not your garments, and return to the LORD your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion. And He relents from sending disaster.

Nehemiah 1:4
When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

Acts 9:9
For three days he was without sight, and he did not eat or drink anything.

1 Kings 21:27
When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted. He lay down in sackcloth and walked around meekly.

Ezra 8:21-23
And there by the Ahava Canal I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask Him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions. / For I was ashamed to ask the king for an escort of soldiers and horsemen to protect us from our enemies on the road, since we had told him, “The hand of our God is gracious to all who seek Him, but His great anger is against all who forsake Him.” / So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and He granted our request.

Matthew 9:14-15
Then John’s disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast so often, but Your disciples do not fast?” / Jesus replied, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while He is with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.

Isaiah 58:3-5
“Why have we fasted, and You have not seen? Why have we humbled ourselves, and You have not noticed?” “Behold, on the day of your fast, you do as you please, and you oppress all your workers. / You fast with contention and strife to strike viciously with your fist. You cannot fast as you do today and have your voice be heard on high. / Is this the fast I have chosen: a day for a man to deny himself, to bow his head like a reed, and to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast and a day acceptable to the LORD?

Mark 2:18-20
Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were often fasting. So people came to Jesus and asked, “Why don’t Your disciples fast like John’s disciples and those of the Pharisees?” / Jesus replied, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while He is with them? As long as He is with them, they cannot fast. / But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.

Luke 5:33-35
Then they said to Him, “John’s disciples and those of the Pharisees frequently fast and pray, but Yours keep on eating and drinking.” / Jesus replied, “Can you make the guests of the bridegroom fast while He is with them? / But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.”

1 Samuel 7:6
When they had gathered at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the LORD. On that day they fasted, and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the LORD.” And Samuel judged the Israelites at Mizpah.


Treasury of Scripture

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 elders

2 Samuel 3:35
And when all the people came to cause David to eat meat while it was yet day, David sware, saying, So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or ought else, till the sun be down.

1 Samuel 28:23
But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants, together with the woman, compelled him; and he hearkened unto their voice. So he arose from the earth, and sat upon the bed.

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Ate Bread Chief Earth Eat Eaten Elders Food Ground House Household Order Raise Refused Rise Side Stood Unwilling Willing
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Ate Bread Chief Earth Eat Eaten Elders Food Ground House Household Order Raise Refused Rise Side Stood Unwilling Willing
2 Samuel 12
1. Nathan's parable of the ewe lamb causes David to be his own judge.
7. David, reproved by Nathan, confesses his sin, and is pardoned
15. David mourns and prays for the child while it lives
24. Solomon is born, and named Jedidiah
26. David takes Rabbah, and tortures the people thereof














The elders of his household
This phrase refers to the senior members or advisors within King David's royal household. In ancient Israel, elders were respected figures, often holding positions of authority and wisdom. They were likely tasked with maintaining order and providing counsel. The Hebrew word for "elders" is "זְקֵנִים" (zeqenim), which denotes age and experience. Their presence signifies the gravity of the situation, as they attempt to support David during his time of distress.

stood beside him
The act of standing beside someone in biblical times often indicated support, solidarity, or an attempt to offer comfort. The Hebrew root "עָמַד" (amad) means to stand or remain. This action by the elders shows their loyalty and concern for David, emphasizing the communal nature of grief and the importance of presence in times of sorrow.

to get him up from the ground
David's position on the ground is symbolic of deep mourning and repentance. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, prostration was a common expression of humility, grief, or supplication. The elders' attempt to raise him reflects their desire to restore him to his kingly duties and normalcy. The Hebrew verb "קוּם" (qum) means to rise or stand, indicating a transition from a state of despair to one of action or recovery.

but he was unwilling
David's unwillingness to rise demonstrates the depth of his sorrow and repentance. The Hebrew word "אָבָה" (abah) means to be willing or consent. His refusal highlights his internal struggle and the weight of his guilt over his sin with Bathsheba and the resulting consequences. This moment underscores the human experience of wrestling with guilt and the process of seeking forgiveness.

and he would not eat any food with them
Fasting was a common practice in the Bible during times of mourning, repentance, or seeking divine intervention. David's refusal to eat signifies his earnest plea for God's mercy and his focus on spiritual matters over physical needs. The Hebrew word "לֶחֶם" (lechem) means bread or food, symbolizing sustenance. By abstaining, David demonstrates his prioritization of spiritual restoration over physical nourishment.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The elders
זִקְנֵ֤י (ziq·nê)
Adjective - masculine plural construct
Strong's 2205: Old

of his household
בֵיתוֹ֙ (ḇê·ṯōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1004: A house

stood
וַיָּקֻ֜מוּ (way·yā·qu·mū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 6965: To arise, stand up, stand

beside him
עָלָ֔יו (‘ā·lāw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

to help him up
לַהֲקִימ֖וֹ (la·hă·qî·mōw)
Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6965: To arise, stand up, stand

from
מִן־ (min-)
Preposition
Strong's 4480: A part of, from, out of

the ground,
הָאָ֑רֶץ (hā·’ā·reṣ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

but he was unwilling
וְלֹ֣א (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

and would not
וְלֹֽא־ (wə·lō-)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

eat
בָרָ֥א (ḇā·rā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1254: To create, to cut down, select, feed

anything with them.
אִתָּ֖ם (’it·tām)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's 854: Nearness, near, with, by, at, among


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OT History: 2 Samuel 12:17 The elders of his house arose (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)
2 Samuel 12:16
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