David's servants could not report the death of Bathsheba's child to him because they________

David's servants could not report the death of Bathsheba's child to him because they feared that David could harm himself. In the story from the book of 2 Samuel, David had committed adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite, and had arranged for Uriah to be killed in battle. As a result of this sin, the child that was conceived died soon after birth, despite David's prayers and fasting for the child's life. David's servants were afraid to tell him that the child had died because they knew how much he loved Bathsheba and the child, and they feared that he would be overcome with grief and do something rash or harmful to himself. When David learned that the child had died, he was heartbroken, but he did not harm himself or anyone else. Instead, he got up from his place of mourning, worshiped God, and comforted Bathsheba. David's reaction showed that he had accepted the situation and trusted in God's mercy and forgiveness. In this story, the fear of David harming himself demonstrates the deep emotional attachment he had to Bathsheba and the child, as well as the potential for extreme reactions to grief and loss.