2 Samuel

2 Samuel 12:22–23

²²David answered, “While the child was alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let him live.’ ²³But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.”

Read all of 2 Samuel 12

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

2 Samuel 12:22

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
answered	וַיֹּ֕אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
While	בְּעוֹד֙	bə·‘ō·wḏ	Preposition-b; Adverb	H5750 a going round, continuance
the child	הַיֶּ֣לֶד	hay·ye·leḏ	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3206 child, son, boy, youth
was alive	חַ֔י	ḥay	Adjective - masculine singular	H2416 alive, living
I fasted	צַ֖מְתִּי	ṣam·tî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H6684 abstain from food, fast
and wept	וָֽאֶבְכֶּ֑ה	wā·’eḇ·keh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular	H1058 weep, bewail
for	כִּ֤י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
I said	אָמַ֙רְתִּי֙	’ā·mar·tî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H559 utter, say
Who	מִ֣י	mî	Interrogative	H4310 who?
knows	יוֹדֵ֔עַ	yō·w·ḏê·a‘	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H3045 know
The LORD	יְהוָ֖ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
may be gracious	יְחָנַּנִי	yə·ḥå̄n·na·nī	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singular	H2603 shew favour, be gracious
to me	הַיָּֽלֶד׃	hay·yā·leḏ	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3206 child, son, boy, youth
and let him live	וְחַ֥י	wə·ḥay	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H2421 live

2 Samuel 12:23

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But now	וְעַתָּ֣ה׀	wə·‘at·tāh	Conjunctive waw; Adverb	H6258 now
that he is dead	מֵ֗ת	mêṯ	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H4191 die
why	לָ֤מָּה	lām·māh	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
should I	אֲנִ֣י	’ă·nî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
fast	צָ֔ם	ṣām	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H6684 abstain from food, fast
Can	הַאוּכַ֥ל	ha·’ū·ḵal	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular	H3201 be able, have power, prevail, endure
I bring him back	לַהֲשִׁיב֖וֹ	la·hă·šî·ḇōw	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct; third person masculine singular	H7725 turn back, return
again	ע֑וֹד	‘ō·wḏ	Adverb	H5750 a going round, continuance
I will	אֲנִי֙	’ă·nî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
go	הֹלֵ֣ךְ	hō·lêḵ	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H1980 go, come, walk
to him	אֵלָ֔יו	’ê·lāw	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H413 motion to
but he	וְה֖וּא	wə·hū	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
will not	לֹֽא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
return	יָשׁ֥וּב	yā·šūḇ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7725 turn back, return
to me	אֵלָֽי׃	’ê·lāy	Preposition; first person common singular	H413 motion to

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

2 Samuel 12:22 Isaiah 38:1–3 · Isaiah 38:5 · Jonah 3:9–10 · Joel 1:14 · Jonah 1:6 · Joel 2:14

2 Samuel 12:23 Genesis 37:35 · Job 30:23

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.