The Meaning of 2 Samuel 12:19 Explained

2 Samuel 12:19

KJV: 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.

YLT: 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.'

Darby: 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.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 2 Samuel 12:19 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Samuel 12:15-31 - Accepting The Lord's Judgment
When Nathan had gone, David beat out his brief confession into Psalms 51:1-19. He knew that he was clean, because purged with hyssop, Exodus 12:22; that he was whiter than snow, because the hand of the Redeemer had touched him, and the joy of God's salvation had been restored. And now he bowed himself before the train of evil consequences that must ensue. Sin may be forgiven, but the Father must needs chasten his child.
The little babe died. It cuts us to the quick when innocent children suffer for our wrong-doing. Two years after, David's sin was repeated by one of his sons, while another sought to dispossess his father of the throne. In Amnon's offense David beheld the features of his own passion, and in Absalom's revenge, his own blood-guiltiness. Psalms 41:1-13; Psalms 55:1-23 are supposed to record his sufferings during those dreary years, when it seemed as if the sunshine had passed forever from his life. The wonder is that he treated Rabbah so harshly; but it may be, as some think, that its fate was decided during the months which preceded his confession, when the misery of his soul made him petulant and exacting.
For Review Questions, see the e-Sword Book Comments. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Samuel 12

1  Nathan's parable of the ewe lamb causes David to be his own judge
7  David, reproved by Nathan, confesses his sin, and is pardoned
15  David mourns and prays for the child while it lives
24  Solomon is born, and named Jedidiah
26  David takes Rabbah, and tortures the people thereof

What do the individual words in 2 Samuel 12:19 mean?

And when saw David that his servants were whispering and perceived David was dead the child therefore said to his servants is dead the child and they said He is dead
וַיַּ֣רְא דָּוִ֗ד כִּ֤י עֲבָדָיו֙ מִֽתְלַחֲשִׁ֔ים וַיָּ֥בֶן דָּוִ֖ד מֵ֣ת הַיָּ֑לֶד וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֶל־ עֲבָדָ֛יו ؟ הֲמֵ֥ת הַיֶּ֖לֶד וַיֹּ֥אמְרוּ מֵֽת

וַיַּ֣רְא  And  when  saw 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
דָּוִ֗ד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
כִּ֤י  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
עֲבָדָיו֙  his  servants 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
מִֽתְלַחֲשִׁ֔ים  were  whispering 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Participle, masculine plural
Root: לָחַשׁ  
Sense: to whisper, charm, conjure.
וַיָּ֥בֶן  and  perceived 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בִּין  
Sense: to discern, understand, consider.
דָּוִ֖ד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
מֵ֣ת  was  dead 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
הַיָּ֑לֶד  the  child 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יֶלֶד  
Sense: child, son, boy, offspring, youth.
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר  therefore  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
עֲבָדָ֛יו  his  servants 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
؟ הֲמֵ֥ת  is  dead 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
הַיֶּ֖לֶד  the  child 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יֶלֶד  
Sense: child, son, boy, offspring, youth.
וַיֹּ֥אמְרוּ  and  they  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
מֵֽת  He  is  dead 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.

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