18. On the seventh day the baby died. David’s servants were afraid to tell him that the baby was dead. They said, “Look, we tried to talk to David while the baby was alive. But he refused to listen to us. If we tell him the baby is dead, he may harm himself.”
19. But David saw his servants whispering. Then he understood that the baby was dead. So he asked them, “Is the baby dead?”They answered, “Yes, he is dead.”
20. Then David got up from the floor. He washed himself, put lotions on himself and changed his clothes. Then he went into the Lord’s house to worship. After that, he went home and asked for something to eat. His servants gave him some food, and he ate.
21. David’s servants said to him, “Why are you doing this? When the baby was still alive, you refused to eat. You cried. But when the baby died, you got up and ate food.”
22. David said, “While the baby was still alive, I refused to eat, and I cried. I thought, ‘Who knows? Maybe the Lord will feel sorry for me and let the baby live.’
23. But now the baby is dead. So why should I go without food? I can’t bring him back to life. Some day I will go to him. But he cannot come back to me.”
24. Then David comforted Bathsheba his wife. He slept with her and had intimate relations with her. She became pregnant again and had another son. David named the boy Solomon. The Lord loved Solomon.
25. The Lord sent word through Nathan the prophet to name the baby Jedidiah. This was because the Lord loved the child.
26. Now Joab fought against Rabbah, a city of the Ammonites. And he was about to capture the royal city.