15. And Nathan returned to his house. The Lord also struck the child which the wife of Urias had borne to David, and his life was despaired of.
16. And David besought the Lord for the child: and David kept a fast, and going in by himself lay upon the ground.
17. And the ancients of his house came, to make him rise from the ground: but he would not, neither did he eat meat with them.
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 when the child was yet alive, we spoke to him, and he would not hearken to our voice: how much more will he afflict himself if we tell him that the child is dead?