2 Samuel 12 · Verse 18

2 Samuel 12:18

And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead?
2 Samuel 12:18, King James Version

2 Samuel 12:18 in other translations

BSBOn the seventh day the child died. But David’s servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Look, while the child was alive, we spoke to him, and he would not listen to us. So how can we tell him the child is dead? He may even harm himself.”
WEBOn the seventh day, the child died. David’s servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him and he didn’t listen to our voice. How will he then harm himself if we tell him that the child is dead?”
ASVAnd it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead; for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he hearkened not unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead!
YLTand it cometh to pass on the seventh day, that the lad dieth, and the servants of David fear to declare to him that the lad is dead, for they said, ‘Lo, in the lad being alive we spake unto him, and he did not hearken to our voice; and how do we say unto him, The lad is dead? --then he hath done evil.'
DARBYAnd it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead; for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him, and he would not hearken to our voice; and how shall we say to him, The child is dead? he may do some harm.
BBEAnd then on the seventh day the child's death took place. And David's servants were in fear of giving him the news of the child's death: for they said, Truly, while the child was still living he gave no attention when we said anything to him: what will he do to himself if we give him word that the child is dead?
WebsterAnd it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him, and he would not hearken to our voice: how will he then be grieved, if we tell him that the child is dead?

What does 2 Samuel 12:18 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Samuel 12:15-23

15-23. the Lord struck the child ... and it was very sick--The first visible chastisement inflicted on David appeared on the person of that child which was the evidence and monument of his guilt. His domestics were surprised at his conduct, and in explanation of its singularity, it is necessary to remark that the custom in the East is to leave the nearest relative of a deceased person to the full and undisturbed…

Read the full comment on 2 Samuel 12:15-23 →

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Samuel 12:15-25

David now penned the 51st Psalm, in which, though he had been assured that his sin was pardoned, he prays earnestly for pardon, and greatly laments his sin. He was willing to bear the shame of it, to have it ever before him, to be continually upbraided with it. God gives us leave to be earnest with him in prayer for particular blessings, from trust in his power and general mercy, though we have no particular promise…

Read the full comment on 2 Samuel 12:15-25 →

2 Samuel 12:18 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיְהִ֛יvay.Hiand it wasH1961
בַּיּ֥וֹםbai.Yomon the dayH3117
הַשְּׁבִיעִ֖יha.she.vi.'I<the> seventhH7637
וַיָּ֣מָתvai.Ya.motand he diedH4191
הַיָּ֑לֶדhai.Ya.ledthe childH3206
וַיִּֽרְאוּ֩vai.yir.'Uand they were afraidH3372
עַבְדֵ֨י'av.Dei[the] servants ofH5650
דָוִ֜דda.VidDavidH1732
לְהַגִּ֥ידle.ha.Gidto tellH5046
ל֣וֹ\׀loto <the> him
כִּי\־ki-thatH3588
מֵ֣תmethe had diedH4191
הַיֶּ֗לֶדhai.Ye.ledthe childH3206
כִּ֤יkiforH3588
אָֽמְרוּ֙'a.me.Ruthey saidH559
הִנֵּה֩hi.Nehhere!H2009
בִהְי֨וֹתvih.Yotwhen wasH1961
הַיֶּ֜לֶדhai.Ye.ledthe childH3206
חַ֗יChaialiveH2416
דִּבַּ֤רְנוּdi.Bar.nuwe spokeH1696
אֵלָיו֙'e.Lavto himH413
וְלֹא\־ve.lo'-and notH3808
שָׁמַ֣עsha.Ma'he listenedH8085
בְּקוֹלֵ֔נוּbe.ko.Le.nuto voice ourH6963
וְאֵ֨יךְve.'Eikhand how?H349
נֹאמַ֥רno.Marwill we sayH559
אֵלָ֛יו'e.Lavto himH413
מֵ֥תmethe has diedH4191
הַיֶּ֖לֶדhai.Ye.ledthe childH3206
וְעָשָׂ֥הve.'a.Sahand he will doH6213
רָעָֽה\׃ra.'AhharmH7451

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Samuel 12:18

  • Numbers 20:15

    How our fathers went down into Egypt, and we have dwelt in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians vexed us, and our fathers:

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
seventh day. vex. Heb. do hurt to.
18; Nu 20:15

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 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.

  • 2 Samuel 12:18

    And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead?

  • 2 Samuel 12:19

    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.

Read all of 2 Samuel 12

2 Samuel 12:18 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y al séptimo día murió el niño; pero sus siervos no osaban hacerle saber que el niño era muerto, diciendo entre sí: Cuando el niño aun vivía, le hablábamos, y no quería oir nuestra voz: ¿pues cuánto más mal le hará, si le dijéremos que el niño es muerto?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et il arriva, le septième jour, que l’enfant mourut; et les serviteurs de David craignirent de lui apprendre que l’enfant était mort, car ils disaient: Voici, lorsque l’enfant était en vie, nous lui avons parlé, et il n’a pas écouté notre voix; et comment lui dirions-nous: L’enfant est mort? Il fera quelque mal.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und es geschah am siebten Tage, da starb das Kind. Und die Knechte Davids fürchteten sich, ihm zu berichten, daß das Kind tot sei; denn sie sprachen: Siehe, als das Kind noch am Leben war, haben wir zu ihm geredet, und er hat nicht auf unsere Stimme gehört; und wie sollen wir nun zu ihm sagen: Das Kind ist tot? Er würde etwas Übles tun.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Accidit autem die septima ut moreretur infans: timueruntque servi David nuntiare ei quod mortuus esset parvulus: dixerunt enim: Ecce cum parvulus adhuc viveret, loquebamur ad eum, et non audiebat vocem nostram: quanto magis si dixerimus: Mortuus est puer, se affliget?