But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead.
Ver. 19. Is the child dead?] This he inquired, that if so, he might put an end to his prayers, which for the dead he knew was not only ineffectual but sinful. Note this against the Romanists' Orate pro animabus, superstitious intercession for souls departed: as also against their Limbus infantium, whereof Pelagius was the first inventor, saith Peter Martyr.