Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth,.... To persuade him to rise up, and sit upon a seat, and go to bed, after having taken some food; these were some of the chief officers at court, and had the management of the affairs of his household:

but he would not; they could not persuade him to it:

neither did he eat bread with them; that evening, as he had used to do; they being the princes of his court, who were wont to sit at table with him.

Geneva Study Bible

(k) Thinking by his constant prayer that God would have restored his child, but God had determined otherwise.

Wesley's Explanatory Notes

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.

Elders — The chief officers of his kingdom and household.

He would not — This excessive mourning did not proceed simply from the fear of the loss of the child; but from a deep sense of his sin, and the divine displeasure manifested herein.

John Trapp Complete Commentary

2 Samuel 12:17 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.

Ver. 17. But he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.] It is easy to observe that good man, David, too passionately attached to his children: and that these strong affections brought strong afflictions.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

The elders of his house; the chief officers of his kingdom and household who were there present.

This excessive mourning did not proceed simply from the fear of the loss of the child; but from a deep sense of his sin, and from the Divine displeasure manifested herein; and particularly from a just apprehension of the injury which he had done to the child by his sin, which justice obliged him to do his utmost to repair by prayer or other means.

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

17.The elders of his house — The oldest, most experienced, and confidential of his servants.

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments

2 Samuel 12:17. The elders of his house — The chief officers of his kingdom and household. He would not — This excessive mourning did not proceed simply from the fear of the loss of the child, but from a deep sense of his sin, and the divine displeasure manifested herein.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

the elders

3:35; 1 Samuel 28:23