Solomon dismissed the people to their tents on the twenty-third day of the seventh month. They rejoiced with cheerful hearts for all the blessings Jehovah had given David, Solomon, and his people Israel.

Of this month

Ezra the priest brought the law to the meeting of the people. They were all able to listen to it. It was the first day of the seventh month.

Children

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.

Jehoshaphat was frightened and decided to ask for Jehovah's help. He announced a fast throughout Judah.

So we went without food, requesting our God for this: and his ear was open to our prayer.

Throughout all the provinces, wherever the king's proclamation was made known, there was loud mourning among the Jews. They fasted, wept, wailed, and most of them put on sackcloth and lay in ashes.

In that day Jehovah God of Hosts called to weeping and mourning, to baldness and putting on sackcloth.

Gird yourselves with sackcloth, and lament, you priests! Wail, you ministers of the altar. Come, lie all night in sackcloth you ministers of my God! The meal offering and the drink offering are withheld from the House of your God.

Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast and call a solemn assembly.

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.

As they ministered to God, and fasted, the Holy Spirit said: Set Barnabas and Saul apart for the work I have called them.

Earth

And Joshua ripped his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the Ark of Jehovah until evening. He threw dust on his head. The elders of Israel did the same.

A man from the tribe of Benjamin ran all the way from the battlefield to Shiloh and arrived there the same day. To show his grief he had torn his clothes and put dirt on his head.

Three days later a soldier came from Saul's army. His clothes were torn and dirt was on his head. He knelt down in front of David.

They saw him from a distance and did not even recognize him. They cried out loud and wept. Each of them tore his clothes in grief. They threw dust on their heads.

General references

Jacob tore his clothes in sorrow and put on sackcloth. He mourned for his son a long time.

You stand today, all of you, before Jehovah your God: your leaders, your tribes, your elders and your officers, even all the men of Israel.