Bible in Basic English
"And the chief men of his house got up and went to his side to make him get up from the earth, but he would not; and he would not take food with them."
— 2 Samuel 12:17, Bible in Basic English
“The elders of his house arose, [and stood] beside him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.”
But still, because you have had no respect for the Lord, death will certainly overtake the child who has newly come to birth.
Then Nathan went back to his house. And the hand of the Lord was on David's son, the child of Uriah's wife, and it became very ill.
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.
And the chief men of his house got up and went to his side to make him get up from the earth, but he would not; and he would not take food with them.
And 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?
But when David saw that his servants were talking together quietly, he was certain that the child was dead: and he said to his servants, Is the child dead? and they said, He is.
Then David got up from the earth, and after washing and rubbing himself with oil and changing his clothing, he went into the house of the Lord and gave worship: then he went back to his house, and at his order they put food before him and he had a meal.