2 Samuel 12:17

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.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — David lies prostrate in sackcloth on the ground after fasting for his dying child, while the elders of his household stand beside him attempting to lift him up. This occurs on the seventh day of his intercession, immediately before the child's death is reported to him.

The words — The Hebrew וַיָּקֻ֜מוּ (va.ya.qu.mu) translates literally to "and they stood," describing the elders' posture of readiness to assist. The phrase לַהֲקִימ֖וֹ (la.ha.ki.m/o) means "to raise him," specifying their physical effort to lift David from the earth.

The thread — Parallel records of grieving refusal to eat appear when David swears an oath not to eat after Saul's death (2 Samuel 3:35) and when Saul initially refuses food before consulting the medium at Endor (1 Samuel 28:23).

Why it lands — The text records David's physical collapse and refusal to eat, showing that his grief and intercession override basic bodily needs. The reader must observe how prolonged spiritual pleading manifests as absolute physical withdrawal before any external resolution occurs.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַיָּקֻ֜מוּva/i.ya.Ku.muand/ they stood זִקְנֵ֤יzik.Nei[the] elders of בֵיתוֹ֙vei.T/ohouse/ his עָלָ֔יו'a.La/vwith/ him לַהֲקִימ֖וֹla./ha.ki.M/oto/ raise/ him מִן־min-from הָאָ֑רֶץha./'A.retzthe/ ground וְלֹ֣אve./Lo'and/ not אָבָ֔ה'a.Vahhe was willing וְלֹֽא־ve./lo'-and/ not בָרָ֥אva.Ra'he ate אִתָּ֖ם'i.Ta/mwith/ them לָֽחֶם׃La.chemfood

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

2 Samuel 3:35 Then all the people came and urged David to eat something while it was still day, but David took an oath, saying, “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun sets!”
1 Samuel 28:23 Saul refused, saying, “I will not eat.” But his servants joined the woman in urging him, and he heeded their voice. He got up from the ground and sat on the bed.