And the elders of his house arose, [and went] to him, to raise him up from the earth,.... To persuade him to rise up, and sit upon a seat, and go to bed, after having taken some food; these were some of the chief officers at court, and had the management of the affairs of his household:
but he would not; they could not persuade him to it:
neither did he eat bread with them; that evening, as he had used to do; they being the princes of his court, who were wont to sit at table with him.