²⁸ “‘Do not cut^(A) your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord.

Clean and Unclean Food^(A)

14 You are the children^(B) of the Lord your God. Do not cut yourselves or shave the front of your heads for the dead,

²⁰ Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed,^(A) put on lotions and changed his clothes,^(B) he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.

²¹ His attendants asked him, “Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept,^(C) but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!”

²² He answered, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, ‘Who knows?^(D) The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live.’^{(E) 23} But now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him,^(F) but he will not return to me.”^(G)

³⁹ He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.”^(A)