2 Samuel 12:22
New International Version
He answered, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, ‘Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let the child live.’

New Living Translation
David replied, “I fasted and wept while the child was alive, for I said, ‘Perhaps the LORD will be gracious to me and let the child live.’

English Standard Version
He said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who knows whether the LORD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’

Berean Standard Bible
David answered, “While the child was alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let him live.’

King James Bible
And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?

New King James Version
And he said, “While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who can tell whether the LORD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’

New American Standard Bible
And he said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who knows, the LORD may be gracious to me, and the child may live.’

NASB 1995
He said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who knows, the LORD may be gracious to me, that the child may live.’

NASB 1977
And he said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who knows, the LORD may be gracious to me, that the child may live.’

Legacy Standard Bible
Then he said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who knows, Yahweh may be gracious to me, that the child may live.’

Amplified Bible
David 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.’

Christian Standard Bible
He answered, “While the baby was alive, I fasted and wept because I thought, ‘Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let him live.’

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He answered, “While the baby was alive, I fasted and wept because I thought, ‘Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let him live.’

American Standard Version
And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who knoweth whether Jehovah will not be gracious to me, that the child may live?

Contemporary English Version
David answered: While he was still alive, I went without food and cried because there was still hope. I said to myself, "Who knows? Maybe the LORD will have pity on me and let the child live."

English Revised Version
And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who knoweth whether the LORD will not be gracious to me, that the child may live?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
David answered, "As long as the child was alive, I fasted and cried. I thought, 'Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let the child live.'

Good News Translation
"Yes," David answered, "I did fast and weep while he was still alive. I thought that the LORD might be merciful to me and not let the child die.

International Standard Version
He answered, "When the child was alive, I fasted and cried. I asked myself, 'Who knows? Maybe the LORD will show grace to me and the child will live.'

Majority Standard Bible
David answered, ?While the child was alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, ?Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let him live.?

NET Bible
He replied, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept because I thought, 'Perhaps the LORD will show pity and the child will live.

New Heart English Bible
He said, "While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, 'Who knows whether the LORD will not be gracious to me, that the child may live?'

Webster's Bible Translation
And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted, and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?

World English Bible
He said, “While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who knows whether Yahweh will not be gracious to me, that the child may live?’
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And he says, “While the boy is alive I have fasted and I weep, for I said, Who knows [if] YHWH pities me and the boy has lived?

Young's Literal Translation
And he saith, 'While the lad is alive I have fasted, and weep, for I said, Who knoweth? -- Jehovah doth pity me, and the lad hath lived;

Smith's Literal Translation
And he will say, The child yet living, and I fasted and wept; for I said, Who will know Jehovah will compassionate me, and the child live?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said: While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept for him: for I said: Who knoweth whether the Lord may not give him to me, and the child may live?

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he said: “While he was yet alive, I fasted and wept on behalf of the infant. For I said: Who knows if the Lord may perhaps give him to me, and let the infant live?

New American Bible
He replied: “While the child was living, I fasted and wept, thinking, ‘Who knows? The LORD may grant me the child’s life.’

New Revised Standard Version
He said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me, and the child may live.’
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
David said to them, While the child was still alive, I fasted and prayed; for I said, Who knows whether God will be gracious to me, and let the child live?

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
David said to them: “When the boy lived, I was fasting and praying because I was saying, ‘Who knows if God has compassion for him and the boy lives?”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And he said: 'While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept; for I said: Who knoweth whether the LORD will not be gracious to me, that the child may live?

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And David said, While the child yet lived, I fasted and wept; for I said, Who knows if the Lord will pity me, and the child live?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
David's Loss and Repentance
21“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.” 22David answered, “While the child was alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let him live.’ 23But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.”…

Cross References
Jonah 3:9
Who knows? God may turn and relent; He may turn from His fierce anger, so that we will not perish.”

Joel 2:14
Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave a blessing behind Him—grain and drink offerings for the LORD your God.

Psalm 30:5
For His anger is fleeting, but His favor lasts a lifetime. Weeping may stay the night, but joy comes in the morning.

Psalm 39:12-13
Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear to my cry for help; do not be deaf to my weeping. For I am a foreigner dwelling with You, a stranger like all my fathers. / Turn Your gaze away from me, that I may again be cheered before I depart and am no more.”

Psalm 103:9
He will not always accuse us, nor harbor His anger forever.

Isaiah 38:1-5
In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came to him and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Put your house in order, for you are about to die; you will not recover.’” / Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, / saying, “Please, O LORD, remember how I have walked before You faithfully and with wholehearted devotion; I have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. ...

Jeremiah 18:7-8
At any time I might announce that a nation or kingdom will be uprooted, torn down, and destroyed. / But if that nation I warned turns from its evil, then I will relent of the disaster I had planned to bring.

Ezekiel 18:21-23
But if the wicked man turns from all the sins he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die. / None of the transgressions he has committed will be held against him. Because of the righteousness he has practiced, he will live. / Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Lord GOD. Wouldn’t I prefer that he turn from his ways and live?

Genesis 18:23-33
Abraham stepped forward and said, “Will You really sweep away the righteous with the wicked? / What if there are fifty righteous ones in the city? Will You really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous ones who are there? / Far be it from You to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?” ...

Exodus 32:11-14
But Moses sought the favor of the LORD his God, saying, “O LORD, why does Your anger burn against Your people, whom You brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? / Why should the Egyptians declare, ‘He brought them out with evil intent, to kill them in the mountains and wipe them from the face of the earth’? Turn from Your fierce anger and relent from doing harm to Your people. / Remember Your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, to whom You swore by Your very self when You declared, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I will give your descendants all this land that I have promised, and it shall be their inheritance forever.’” ...

Matthew 7:7-8
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. / For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

Matthew 21:22
If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

Mark 11:24
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Luke 11:9-10
So I tell you: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. / For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

Luke 18:1-8
Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray at all times and not lose heart: / “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected men. / And there was a widow in that town who kept appealing to him, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ ...


Treasury of Scripture

And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?

I fasted

Isaiah 38:1-3,5
In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live…

Joel 1:14
Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD,

Joel 2:14
Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God?

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Able Alive Child Fasted Food Gracious Live Mercy Pity Thought Weeping Wept Whether Who
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Able Alive Child Fasted Food Gracious Live Mercy Pity Thought Weeping Wept Whether Who
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














He answered
This phrase introduces David's response to his servants, who were puzzled by his behavior. In the Hebrew text, the word used here is "וַיֹּאמֶר" (vayomer), which is a common term for speaking or answering. It signifies a moment of revelation or explanation, where David is about to share his reasoning and faith journey. This moment is pivotal as it reflects David's introspection and understanding of God's sovereignty.

While the child was alive
This phrase sets the temporal context for David's actions. The Hebrew word for "alive" is "חַי" (chai), which is often used to denote not just physical life but also vibrancy and presence. David's actions during the child's life reflect his hope and belief in the possibility of divine intervention. It underscores the urgency and fervency of his prayers and fasting, as he clung to the hope that life might be preserved.

I fasted and wept
Fasting and weeping are traditional expressions of mourning and supplication in the Hebrew culture. The Hebrew word for "fasted" is "צוּם" (tzum), which involves abstaining from food as a form of spiritual discipline and humility before God. "Wept" comes from "בָּכָה" (bakah), indicating deep emotional expression. Together, these actions demonstrate David's earnest repentance and his intense plea for God's mercy, reflecting a heart deeply aware of its need for divine grace.

for I said
This phrase introduces David's internal reasoning and hope. The Hebrew "אָמַרְתִּי" (amarti) indicates a personal reflection or declaration. It reveals David's thought process and his reliance on God's character. This introspective moment shows David's understanding of the power of prayer and the possibility of God's intervention.

Who knows?
This rhetorical question reflects a theme of uncertainty and hope. The Hebrew "מִי יוֹדֵעַ" (mi yodea) suggests an openness to the unknown possibilities of God's will. It captures the essence of faith, which often involves trusting in God's goodness and sovereignty even when outcomes are uncertain. This phrase highlights the tension between human desire and divine will, a common theme in the biblical narrative.

The LORD may be gracious to me
Here, David appeals to the character of God, specifically His grace. The Hebrew word for "gracious" is "חָנַן" (chanan), which conveys the idea of favor and compassion. David's hope rests on the nature of God as merciful and kind. This reflects a deep theological understanding that God's actions are not bound by human expectations but are rooted in His gracious character.

and let the child live
This final phrase expresses David's ultimate hope and request. The Hebrew "וְחָיָה הַיָּלֶד" (vechayah hayeled) directly translates to "and the child may live." It encapsulates the heart of David's plea—a desire for life and restoration. This request is not just for the child's physical survival but also for the restoration of joy and peace in David's life. It underscores the biblical theme of life as a precious gift from God, one that is always subject to His will and purpose.

Verse 22. - God; Hebrew, Jehovah, usually rendered "Lord." Similarly in Genesis 6:5 in the Authorized Version we find God in capital letters, as here, for the Hebrew Jehovah.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
[David] answered,
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“While
בְּעוֹד֙ (bə·‘ō·wḏ)
Preposition-b | Adverb
Strong's 5750: Iteration, continuance, again, repeatedly, still, more

the child
הַיֶּ֣לֶד (hay·ye·leḏ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3206: Something born, a lad, offspring

was alive,
חַ֔י (ḥay)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 2416: Alive, raw, fresh, strong, life

I fasted
צַ֖מְתִּי (ṣam·tî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 6684: To abstain from food, fast

and wept,
וָֽאֶבְכֶּ֑ה (wā·’eḇ·keh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 1058: To weep, to bemoan

for
כִּ֤י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

I said,
אָמַ֙רְתִּי֙ (’ā·mar·tî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

‘Who
מִ֣י (mî)
Interrogative
Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix

knows?
יוֹדֵ֔עַ (yō·w·ḏê·a‘)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 3045: To know

The LORD
יְהוָ֖ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

may be gracious
וְחַנַּ֥נִי (wə·ḥan·na·nî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singular
Strong's 2603: To bend, stoop in kindness to an inferior, to favor, bestow, to implore

to me
הַיָּֽלֶד׃ (hay·yā·leḏ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3206: Something born, a lad, offspring

and let him live.’
וְחַ֥י (wə·ḥay)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2416: Alive, raw, fresh, strong, life


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OT History: 2 Samuel 12:22 He said While the child was yet (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)
2 Samuel 12:21
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