Mourning and Reversal/Joy in the Hebrew Bible: David\u27s Lost Child in 2 Samuel 12:15-23

This thesis focuses on mourning and reversal/joy as it relates to King David and the loss of his infant son in 2 Samuel 12:15-23. Mourning in the Hebrew Bible is examined and how the social constructs, community and family define the meaning of mourning within a society. The contrast between mourning and reversal/joy is compared by utilizing common mourning aspects of the time period, and contrasting them to what would be considered normal day-to-day life. The thesis ends with the application of mourning and reversal/joy to the specific passages in 2 Samuel 12:15-23. It was concluded that there are similarities of mourning and joy/reversal throughout the biblical text and that mourning is reserved not only for the dead but also for the living. King David\u27s story in 2 Samuel 12:15-23 represents everyone - he has mourning and reversal/joy in his life and his story shows that no one is out of YHWH\u27s reach, not even the most influential members of society