They said to him: Hezekiah says: 'This day is a day of distress, rebuke and rejection. Children have come to birth, and there is no strength to deliver.

The men greatly reverenced Jehovah. They offered a sacrifice to Jehovah, and made vows.

Do not fear those who kill the body. They are not able to take away your [everlasting] life. Instead, fear him who is able to destroy both life and body in the ever-burning fires. (Greek: Gehenna: continuously burning trash fires in the valley of Hinnom.)

Seek the lord

People from every tribe of Israel who were determined to seek Jehovah the true God of Israel followed the Levitical priests to Jerusalem to sacrifice to Jehovah God of their ancestors.

Regardless of this, there is some good in you. You have removed all the symbols of the goddess Asherah that people worshiped. You have tried to follow God's will.

Proclaimed

The people of Israel went up to Bethel and mourned. They sat there in Jehovah's presence and fasted until evening. They offered fellowship sacrifices and burned some sacrifices whole in the presence of Jehovah.

The Israelites gathered at Mizpah. They drew some water, poured it out in front of Jehovah and fasted that day. They confessed: We have sinned against Jehovah. So Samuel judged Israel in Mizpah.

Then I gave orders for a time of going without food, there by the Ahava River, so that we might make ourselves low before our God in prayer, requesting from him a safe journey for us and for our little ones and for all our substance.

Go assemble all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me. Take no food or drink night or day for three days. My women and I will do the same. Then I will go in to the king even though it is against the law. If death is to be my fate, then let it come.

In the ninth month of the fifth year of the reign of Jehoiakim, son of King Josiah of Judah, a time for fasting was called. It was a time for all the people in Jerusalem and for everyone who was coming from any city in Judah to Jerusalem to fast in Jehovah's presence.

I looked to Jehovah God to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.

Sanctify a fast! Call a solemn assembly. Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the House of Jehovah your God. Call out to Jehovah.

Even now, said Jehovah, turn to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning!

The people of Nineveh believed God and they proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.

General references

I will put my trust in you when I am afraid.