²¹ His servants said to him, “What is this that you have done? While^[a] the child was still alive, you fasted and wept. Once the child was dead you got up and ate food!” ²² He replied, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept because I thought,^[b] ‘Perhaps^[c] the Lord will show pity and the child will live.’ ²³ But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Am I able to bring him back at this point? I will go to him, but he cannot return to me!”