Acts 13:36. For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep. The words of the psalm just quoted were spoken certainly by King David, but they cannot possibly find their fulfilment in him, for an everlasting salvation was promised through a Messiah who should reign for ever; but when David had accomplished his allotted work, he died, full of years and honours certainly, the man after God's own heart, and with all his errors and shortcomings a great and magnificent sovereign; but, when he reached the usual term of human life, he fell on sleep.

And was laid with his fathers. The word of the original Hebrew and also in the Greek version of the LXX. is a distinct recognition of the existence of the soul after death. The soul went to Sheol, the place where the souls of the departed rest; there the souls of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the fathers of David, already were. It is a different expression to any of those used for death and burial. (See Gesenius on the Hebrew original of this word used Genesis 25:8; Genesis 35:29; 2 Kings 22:20; Judges 2:10.

Saw corruption. That is to say, the body, the mortal part, of King David.

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Old Testament