Reference: Mourning Customs
Hastings
The Oriental expression of grief has a twofold relationship. Towards God it is marked by silent and reverent submission symbolized by placing the hand on the mouth. 'The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away' (Job 1:21); 'I was dumb
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and took their bones, and buried them under the tamarisk-tree in Jabesh, - and fasted seven days.
Then chanted David this dirge, - over Saul and over Jonathan his son; and he thought to teach the sons of Judah the song of the Bow, - lo! it is written in the Book of the Upright: - read more. The beauty of Israel! on thy high plumes - slain! How have fallen - the mighty! Do not tell it in Gath, Do not publish it in the streets of Ashkelon, - lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the Uncircumcised triumph. Ye mountains in Gilboa! Be there neither dew nor rain upon you, nor fields of offerings, - for, there, were cast away, the shields of the mighty, The shield of Saul, unanointed with oil. From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan ne'er drew back, - and, the sword of Saul, ne'er returned, empty. Saul and Jonathan, delightfully loving in their lives, even, in their death, were not divided, - Beyond eagles, were they swift, beyond lions, were they strong! Ye daughters of Israel! For Saul, weep ye, - who clothed you in crimson, decked with lovely things, who hung ornaments of gold on your apparel! How have fallen the mighty, in the midst of the battle! Jonathan, on thy high places, slain! I am distressed for thee, my brother, Jonathan! Delightful to me, exceedingly, - Wonderful, was thy love to me, passing the love of women. How have fallen the mighty, and perished the weapons of war!
And David said unto Joab, and unto all the people who were with him, - Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and lament aloud before Abner. And, King David himself, was following the bier.
And the king addressed his dirge unto Abner, and said, - As a base man dieth, should Abner have died? Thy hands, were not bound, And, thy feet, near to fetters, were not brought, As one falleth before assassins, so didst thou fall! And again all the people wept over him.
Then David arose from the ground, and bathed and anointed, and changed his apparel, and, entering into the house of Yahweh, bowed himself down, - then came he into his own house, and asked, and they set before him food, and he did eat.
And he laid his dead body in his own grave, - and they lamented over him, saying - Alas, my brother!
and said - Naked came I forth from the womb of my mother, and naked must I return thither, Yahweh, gave, and, Yahweh, hath taken away, - The name of Yahweh be blessed!
Now when the three friends of Job heard of all this misfortune which had befallen him, - they came, every man from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, - for they had by appointment met together to come to shew sympathy with him, and to comfort him. And, when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept - and rent, every one his robe, and sprinkled dust upon their heads, toward the heavens. read more. And they sat with him upon the ground, seven days and seven nights, - and none was speaking unto him a word, for they saw that, exceeding great, was the stinging pain.
Oh that my head were waters, And mine eyes a fountain of tears, - That I might weep day and night, For the slain of the daughter of my people!
Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, Consider ye diligently and call for the wailing women that they may come, - And unto the wise women, send ye, that they may come; Yea let them make haste, and lift up over us a wailing, - That our eyes, may run down, with tears, And, our eyelashes, stream down with water; -
Therefore - Thus, saith Yahweh, Touching Jehoiakim son of Josiah King of Judah, They shall not cry in lament for him Alas my brother! or Alas sister! They shall not cry in lament for him Alas lord! or Alas! his renown!
For these things, am, I, weeping, Mine eye, mine eye, is running down with waters, for, far from me, is any who could comfort, could bring back my life, - My sons are amazed, for strong is the foe.
With streams of water, mine eye runneth down, over the grievous injury of the daughter of my people. Mine eye, poureth itself out and ceaseth not, without relief;
So he brought me into the opening of the gate of the house of Yahweh, which was toward the north, - and Lo! there, women sitting, weeping for Tammuz.
At the sound of the outcry of thy pots, the coasts shall quake: Then shall come down from their ships all that handle the oar, mariners, all the sailors of the sea - Upon the land, shall they take up their station; read more. And make loud lament over thee, with their voice, And make biter outcry,- And shall lift up dust on their heads, In ashes, shall roll themselves; And shall make bald for thee a baldness And gird them with sackcloth, - And shall weep for time in bitterness of soul. A biter lamentation; And shall take up for thee in their Wailing: a dirge, And shall chant over thee,- Who is like Tyre? Like the Sent One in the midst of the sea? By the going forth of thy commodities out of the seas, Thou didst satisfy many peoples, By the multitude of thy wares and of thy merchandise, Thou didst enrich the kings of the earth. Now, thou art wrecked out of the seas In the depths of waters, - Thy merchandise and all thy gathered host In thy midst, have fallen. All the dwellers in the coastlands, Are astounded over thee,- And their king have been made to shudder a shuddering, To be troubled in countenance. the traders among the peoples, have hissed over thee: A terror, hast thou become, And I art not, Unto times age-abiding.
Therefore, thus, saith Yahweh, God of hosts, My Lord, In all broadways, shall be lamentation, and, in all streets, shall they say, Alas! Alas! And they shall call the husbandman unto the mourning, and, unto the lamentation, them who know a wailing song;
For this cause, will I lament and howl, I will go stript and bare, - I will make a lamentation, like the wild dogs, and a mourning, like ostriches.
And, when ye may he fasting, become not ye, as the hypocrites, of sullen countenance, - for they darken their looks, that they may appear, unto men, to be fasting: Verily, I say unto you, they are getting back their reward. But, when, thou, art fasting, anoint thy head, and, thy face, wash, - read more. that thou do not appear, unto men, to be fasting, but to thy Father who is in secret, - and, thy Father who seeth in secret, will reward thee.
And they come into the house of the synagogue-ruler, and he observeth a tumult, and persons weeping and wailing greatly;
So then, be consoling one another with these words.
Because, the Lamb that is in the midst of the throne, shall shepherd them, and shall lead them unto life's fountains of waters; and God shall wipe away every tear out of their eyes.