16. David prayed to God that the child would get well. He refused to eat anything, and every night he went into his room and spent the night lying on the floor.
17. His court officials went to him and tried to make him get up, but he refused and would not eat anything with them.
18. A week later the child died, and David's officials were afraid to tell him the news. They said, “While the child was living, David wouldn't answer us when we spoke to him. How can we tell him that his child is dead? He might do himself some harm!”
19. When David noticed them whispering to each other, he realized that the child had died. So he asked them, “Is the child dead?”“Yes, he is,” they answered.
20. David got up from the floor, had a bath, combed his hair, and changed his clothes. Then he went and worshipped in the house of the Lord. When he returned to the palace, he asked for food and ate it as soon as it was served.
21. “We don't understand this,” his officials said to him. “While the child was alive, you wept for him and would not eat; but as soon as he died, you got up and ate!”
22. “Yes,” David answered, “I did fast and weep while he was still alive. I thought that the Lord might be merciful to me and not let the child die.
23. But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Could I bring the child back to life? I will some day go to where he is, but he can never come back to me.”
24. Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba. He had intercourse with her, and she bore a son, whom David named Solomon. The Lord loved the boy
25. and commanded the prophet Nathan to name the boy Jedidiah,”. because the Lord loved him.
26. Meanwhile Joab continued his campaign against Rabbah, the capital city of Ammon, and was about to capture it.
27. He sent messengers to David to report: “I have attacked Rabbah and have captured its water supply.
28. Now gather the rest of your forces, attack the city and take it yourself. I don't want to get the credit for capturing it.”
29. So David gathered his forces, went to Rabbah, attacked it, and conquered it.
30. From the head of the idol of the Ammonite god Molech David took a gold crown which weighed about 35 kilogrammes and had a jewel in it. David took the jewel and put it in his own crown. He also took a large amount of loot from the city
31. and put its people to work with saws, iron hoes, and iron axes, and forced them to work at making bricks. He did the same to the people of all the other towns of Ammon. Then he and his men returned to Jerusalem.