David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth.

And David besought the Lord for the child: and David kept a fast, and going in by himself lay upon the ground.

and David seeketh God for the youth, and David keepeth a fast, and hath gone in and lodged, and lain on the earth.

David therefore sought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night on the earth.

So David made prayer to God for the child; and he took no food day after day, and went in and, stretching himself out on the earth, was there all night.

David therefore begged God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night on the ground.

And David begged the Lord on behalf of the little one. And David fasted strictly, and entering alone, he lay upon the ground.

The death of the infant child of one of the numerous harem of an Oriental monarch would in general be a matter of little moment to the father. The deep feeling shown by David on this occasion is both an indication of his affectionate and tender nature, and also a proof of the strength of his passion for Bath-sheba. He went into his most private chamber, his closet Matthew 6:6, and "lay upon the earth" 2-Samuel 13:31, rather "the ground," meaning the floor of his chamber as opposed to his couch.

David - besought God for the child - How could he do so, after the solemn assurance that he had from God that the child should die? The justice of God absolutely required that the penalty of the law should be exacted; either the father or the son shall die. This could not be reversed.

David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and (i) went in, and lay all night upon the earth.
(i) That is, to his private chamber.

David therefore besought God for the child,.... Perhaps went into the tabernacle he had built for the ark, and prayed to the Lord to restore the child, and spare its life; for though the Lord had said it should die, he might hope that that was a conditional threatening, and that the Lord might be gracious and reverse it, 2-Samuel 12:22,
and David fasted: all that day:
and went in; to his own house from the house of God:
and lay all night upon the earth; would neither go into, nor lie upon a bed, but lay on the floor all night, weeping and praying for the child's life, and especially for its eternal welfare: he having through sin been the means of its coming into a sinful and afflicted state.

Besought - Supposing the threatening might be conditional, and so the execution of it prevented by prayer. Went - Into his closet.