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Thursday, August 21st, 2025
the Week of Proper 15 / Ordinary 20
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Read the Bible

Green's Literal Translation

2 Samuel 12:19

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.

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."
Amplified Bible
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."
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.
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

15 And Nathan went to his house, and Jehovah struck the boy whom the former wife of Uriah had borne to David. And it became sick. 16 And David sought God for the child. And David fasted a fast, and went in and stayed the night, and lay on the earth. 17 And the elders of his house rose up toward him, to raise him up from the earth. But he was not willing; and he ate no bread with them. 18 And it happened on the seventh day, the boy died. And David's servants feared to tell him that the boy was dead, for they said, Behold, while the boy was alive, we spoke to him, and he would not listen to our voice. And how shall we say tohim, The boy is dead? Then he may do harm. 19 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. 20 And David rose up from the earth, and bathed, and anointed. And he changed his clothing, and came into the house of Jehovah, and worshiped. And he came to his house, and commanded, and they brought bread for him; and he ate. 21 And his servants said to him, What is this thing you have done? You fasted and wept because of the living boy, yet when the boy is dead, you have risen up and have eaten food? 22 And he said, While the boy was alive, I fasted and wept. For I said, Who knows? Jehovah may be gracious to me and the boy may stay alive. 23 And now he has died. Why this, that I should fast? Am I able to bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me. 24 And David comforted his wife Bathsheba. And he went in to her, and lay with her. And she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. And Jehovah loved him,

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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