2 Samuel 12:20 net — So David got up from the ground, bathed, put on oil, and changed his clothes. He went to the house of the LORD and wors…

NET Bible

"So David got up from the ground, bathed, put on oil, and changed his clothes. He went to the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then, when he entered his palace, he requested that food be brought to him, and he ate."

— 2 Samuel 12:20, NET Bible

Read in Another Translation

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2 Samuel 12:20 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the Lord, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat.”

  • ASV

    “Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel; and he came into the house of Jehovah, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat. ”

  • WEB

    “Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his clothing; and he came into the house of Yahweh, and worshiped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he ate.”

  • DRB

    “Then David arose from the ground, and washed and anointed himself: and when he had changed his apparel, he went into the house of the Lord: and worshipped, and then he came into his own house, and he called for bread, and ate.”

  • BBE

    “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.”

  • KJVA

    “Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the Lord, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat.”

2 Samuel 12 — Context

17

The elders of his house stood over him and tried to lift him from the ground, but he was unwilling, and refused to eat food with them.

18

On the seventh day the child died. But the servants of David were afraid to inform him that the child had died, for they said,“While the child was still alive he would not listen to us when we spoke to him. How can we tell him that the child is dead? He will do himself harm!”

19

When David saw that his servants were whispering to one another, he realized that the child was dead. So David asked his servants,“Is the child dead?” They replied,“Yes, he’s dead.”

20

So David got up from the ground, bathed, put on oil, and changed his clothes. He went to the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then, when he entered his palace, he requested that food be brought to him, and he ate.

21

His servants said to him,“What is this that you have done? While the child was still alive, you fasted and wept. Once the child was dead you got up and ate food!”

22

He replied,“While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept because I thought,‘Perhaps the LORD will show pity and the child will live.

23

But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Am I able to bring him back at this point? I will go to him, but he cannot return to me!’”

2 Samuel 12:20 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does 2 Samuel 12:20 say?
2 Samuel 12:20 in the NET Bible reads: “So David got up from the ground, bathed, put on oil, and changed his clothes. He went to the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then, when he entered his palace, he requested that food be brought to him, and he ate.”
Where is 2 Samuel 12:20 in the Bible?
2 Samuel 12:20 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of 2 Samuel, chapter 12, verse 20.
Who wrote 2 Samuel?
2 Samuel is traditionally attributed to Anonymous (traditionally Nathan and Gad). It was written c. 930–722 BC.
What is the book of 2 Samuel about?
2 Samuel records David's reign — his rise to the throne, the conquest of Jerusalem, the eternal covenant God makes with his house, and the moral failure with Bathsheba that fractures his family. From the highs of triumph to the depths of repentance, David remains the messianic prototype.
What are the major themes of 2 Samuel?
2 Samuel explores themes including Davidic Covenant, Sin & Repentance, Kingdom, Mercy, Consequences. These themes shape the meaning and context of 2 Samuel 12:20.
What translation should I read 2 Samuel 12:20 in?
2 Samuel 12:20 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize 2 Samuel 12:20?
2 Samuel 12:20 reads (NET): “So David got up from the ground, bathed, put on oil, and changed his clothes. He went to the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then, when he entered his palace, he requested that food be brought to him, and he ate.” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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