A Child Dies, and Solomon Is Born

¹⁵Then Nathan went home. The LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife had borne to David, and the boy became very sick. ¹⁶David pleaded with God for the child; he fasted, went inside, and lay on the ground all night. ¹⁷The senior members of his household came and tried to get him up off the ground, but he refused. He wouldn't eat anything with them. ¹⁸On the 7th day, the child died. David's servants were afraid to tell him, because they said to each other, "When the child was still alive, we talked to him and he wouldn't listen to us. What will he do to himself if we tell him the child is dead?" ¹⁹But David noticed his servants whispering to each other and realized the child had died. He asked them, "Is the child dead?" They answered, "He is dead." ²⁰David got up from the ground, washed himself, put on oil, and changed his clothes. Then he went to the house of the LORD and worshiped. After that, he went home and asked for food. When they set it before him, he ate. ²¹His servants were confused. They asked him, "What are you doing? You fasted and wept while the child was alive, but now that he's dead, you get up and eat?" ²²He said, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, because I said, 'Who knows whether GOD will be gracious to me, so that the child may live?'" ²³But now that he's dead, why would I keep fasting? Can I bring him back? I will go to him one day, but he will never come back to me." ²⁴David comforted his wife Bathsheba, slept with her, and she gave birth to a son. David named him Solomon, and the LORD loved him. ²⁵He sent a message through Nathan the prophet, and he named him Jedidiah, because of the LORD.