Lectionary Calendar
Monday, August 25th, 2025
the Week of Proper 16 / Ordinary 21
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Read the Bible

Amplified Bible

2 Samuel 12:19

But when David saw that his servants were whispering to one another, he realized that the child was dead. So David said to them, "Is the child dead?" And they said, "He is dead."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Bereavement;   Children;   David;   Fasting;   Parents;   Thompson Chain Reference - David;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Afflicted Saints;   Children;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Nathan;   Parable;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Bathsheba;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Magic;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Bath-Sheba;   David;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ammon, Ammonites;   Magic, Divination, and Sorcery;   Samuel, Books of;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Nathan ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Nathan;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - David;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Dead;   Fast;   Nathan (1);   Samuel, Books of;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Corn;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
When David saw that his servants were whispering to each other, he guessed that the baby was dead. So he asked his servants, “Is the baby dead?”
Hebrew Names Version
But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; and David said to his servants, Is the child dead? They said, He is dead.
King James Version
But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead.
Lexham English Bible
When David saw that his servants were whispering together, he realized that the child was dead. Then David said to his servants, "Is the child dead?" And they said, "He is dead."
English Standard Version
But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David understood that the child was dead. And David said to his servants, "Is the child dead?" They said, "He is dead."
New Century Version
When David saw his servants whispering, he knew that the baby was dead. So he asked them, "Is the baby dead?" They answered, "Yes, he is dead."
New English Translation
When David saw that his servants were whispering to one another, he realized that the child was dead. So David asked his servants, "Is the child dead?" They replied, "Yes, he's dead."
New American Standard Bible
But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; so David said to his servants, "Is the child dead?" And they said, "He is dead."
Geneva Bible (1587)
But when Dauid sawe that his seruantes whispered, Dauid perceiued that the childe was dead: therefore Dauid sayde vnto his seruants, Is the childe dead? And they sayd, He is dead.
Legacy Standard Bible
And David saw that his servants were whispering together, so David discerned that the child had died; so David said to his servants, "Has the child died?" And they said, "He has died."
Contemporary English Version
David noticed his servants whispering, and he knew the boy was dead. "Did my son die?" he asked his servants. "Yes, he did," they answered.
Complete Jewish Bible
But when David saw his servants whispering to each other, he suspected that the child was dead. David asked his servants, "Is the child dead?" and they answered, "He is dead."
Darby Translation
But David saw that his servants whispered, and David perceived that the child was dead; and David said to his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead.
Easy-to-Read Version
David saw his servants whispering and understood that the baby was dead. So David asked his servants, "Is the baby dead?" The servants answered, "Yes, he is dead."
George Lamsa Translation
But when David saw that his servants were whispering, David perceived that the child was dead; therefore he said to his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead.
Good News Translation
When David noticed them whispering to each other, he realized that the child had died. So he asked them, "Is the child dead?" "Yes, he is," they answered.
Literal Translation
And David saw that his servants were whispering among themselves. And David understood that the boy was dead. And David said to his servants, Is the boy dead? And they said, He is dead.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And Dauid sawe that his seruauntes made a whisperinge together, and perceaued that the childe was deed, and sayde vnto his seruauntes: Is the childe deed? They sayde: Yee.
American Standard Version
But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; and David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead.
Bible in Basic English
But when David saw that his servants were talking together quietly, he was certain that the child was dead: and he said to his servants, Is the child dead? and they said, He is.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
But Dauid seing his seruautes whispering, perceaued that the childe was dead: & Dauid said vnto his seruauntes, Is the childe dead? They saide: He is dead.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
But when David saw that his servants whispered together, David perceived that the child was dead; and David said unto his servants: 'Is the child dead?' And they said: 'He is dead.'
King James Version (1611)
But when Dauid saw that his seruants whispered, Dauid perceiued that the childe was dead: therefore Dauid said vnto his seruants, Is the child dead? and they said, He is dead.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And David understood that his servants were whispering, and David perceived that the child was dead: and David said to his servants, Is the child dead? and they said, He is dead.
English Revised Version
But when David saw that his servants whispered together, David perceived that the child was dead: and David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead.
Berean Standard Bible
When David saw that his servants were whispering to each other, he perceived that the child was dead. So he asked his servants, "Is the child dead?" "He is dead," they replied.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfore whanne Dauid hadde herd his seruauntis spekynge priueli, `ether moterynge, he understood that the yong child was deed; `and he seyde to his seruauntis, Whether the child is deed? Whiche answeriden to hym, He is deed.
Young's Literal Translation
And David seeth that his servants are whispering, and David understandeth that the lad is dead, and David saith unto his servants, `Is the lad dead?' and they say, `Dead.'
Update Bible Version
But when David saw that his slaves were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; and David said to his slaves, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead.
Webster's Bible Translation
But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said to his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead.
World English Bible
But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; and David said to his servants, Is the child dead? They said, He is dead.
New King James Version
When David saw that his servants were whispering, David perceived that the child was dead. Therefore David said to his servants, "Is the child dead?" And they said, "He is dead."
New Living Translation
When David saw them whispering, he realized what had happened. "Is the child dead?" he asked. "Yes," they replied, "he is dead."
New Life Bible
But when David saw his servants speaking together in secret, he understood that the child was dead. He asked his servants, "Is the child dead?" And they said, "He is dead."
New Revised Standard
But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, he perceived that the child was dead; and David said to his servants, "Is the child dead?" They said, "He is dead."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, when David saw that his servants were whispering among themselves, then understood David that the child was dead, - and David said unto his servants - Is the child, dead? And they answered - Dead!
Douay-Rheims Bible
But when David saw his servants whispering, he understood that the child was dead: and he said to his servants: Is the child dead? They answered him He is dead.
Revised Standard Version
But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; and David said to his servants, "Is the child dead?" They said, "He is dead."
THE MESSAGE
David noticed that the servants were whispering behind his back, and realized that the boy must have died. He asked the servants, "Is the boy dead?" "Yes," they answered. "He's dead."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; so David said to his servants, "Is the child dead?" And they said, "He is dead."

Contextual Overview

15Then Nathan went [back] to his home. Loss of a Child And the LORD struck the child that Uriah's widow bore to David, and he was very sick. 16David therefore appealed to God for the child [to be healed]; and David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. 17The 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. 18Then it happened on the seventh day that the child died. David's servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, "While the child was still alive, we spoke to him and he would not listen to our voices. How then can we tell him the child is dead, since he might harm himself [or us]?" 19But when David saw that his servants were whispering to one another, he realized that the child was dead. So David said to them, "Is the child dead?" And they said, "He is dead."20Then David got up from the ground, washed, anointed himself [with olive oil], changed his clothes, and went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he came [back] to his own house, and when he asked, they set food before him and he ate. 21Then his servants said to him, "What is this thing that you have done? While the child was alive you fasted and wept, but when the child died, you got up and ate food." 22David said, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I thought, 'Who knows, the LORD may be gracious to me and the child may live.' 23"But now he is dead; why should I [continue to] fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him [when I die], but he will not return to me." 24David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and went to her and lay with her; and she gave birth to a son, and David named him Solomon. And the LORD loved the child;

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Reciprocal: 1 Thessalonians 4:13 - ye sorrow

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And when David saw that his servants whispered,.... For they said the above to one another with a low voice, that he might not hear them, though in the same room with them:

David perceived the child was dead; he guessed it was, and that this was the thing they were whispering about among themselves:

therefore David said unto his servants, is the child dead? and they said, he is dead; for putting the question to them so closely, they could not avoid giving the answer they did, and which he was prepared to receive, by what he had observed in them.


 
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