When his child was stricken, David, with fasting and deep humiliation, pleaded for its life. He put off his royal robes, he laid aside his crown, and night after night he lay upon the earth, in heartbroken grief interceding for the innocent one suffering for his guilt. "The elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not." Often when judgments had been pronounced upon persons or cities, humiliation and repentance had turned aside the blow, and the Ever-Merciful, swift to pardon, had sent messengers of peace. Encouraged by this thought, David persevered in his supplication so long as the child was spared. Upon learning that it was dead, he quietly submitted to the decree of God. The first stroke had fallen of that retribution which he himself had declared just; but David, trusting in God's mercy, was not without comfort.

Da barnet blev sygt, fastede David og ydmygede sig dybt og bønfaldt Gud om at frelse dets liv. Han afførte sig sine kongelige klæder, tog sin krone af og lagde sig på jorden nat efter nat, mens han i den dybeste fortvivlelse gik i forbøn for det uskyldige barn, som led på grund af hans synd. "De ældste i hans hus kom til ham for at få ham til at rejse sig, men han ville ikke." Den evige, barmhjertige Gud havde i flere tilfælde tilbagekaldt dommen over personer eller byer og sendt dem et fredens budskab, når de ydmygede sig og angrede. David klyngede sig til dette håb og blev ved med at bede for barnets liv, så længe det var i live. Da han fik at vide, at det var død, underkastede han sig stille og roligt Guds dom. David havde selv udtalt, at denne straf var retfærdig, og nu faldt det første slag, men han stolede på Guds nåde og var ikke trøstesløs.