Reference: Mourn
Easton
Frequent references are found in Scripture to, (1.) Mourning for the dead. Abraham mourned for Sarah (Ge 23:2); Jacob for Joseph (Ge 37:34-35); the Egyptians for Jacob (Ge 50:3-10); Israel for Aaron (Nu 20:29), for Moses (De 34:8), and for Samuel (1Sa 25:1); David for Abner (2Sa 3:31,35); Mary and Martha for Lazarus (Joh 11); devout men for Stephen (Ac 8:2), etc.
(2.) For calamities, Job (Job 1:20-21; 2:8); Israel (Ex 33:4); the Ninevites (Jon 3:5); Israel, when defeated by Benjamin (Jg 20:26), etc.
(3.) Penitential mourning, by the Israelites on the day of atonement (Le 23:27; Ac 27:9); under Samuel's ministry (1Sa 7:6); predicted in Zechariah (Zec 12:10-11); in many of the psalms (51, etc.).
Mourning was expressed, (1) by weeping (Ge 35:8, marg.; Lu 7:38, etc.); (2) by loud lamentation (Ru 1:9; 1Sa 6:19; 2Sa 3:31); (3) by the disfigurement of the person, as rending the clothes (Ge 37:29,34; Mt 26:65), wearing sackcloth (Ge 37:34; Ps 35:13), sprinkling dust or ashes on the person (2Sa 13:19; Jer 6:26; Job 2:12), shaving the head and plucking out the hair of the head or beard (Le 10:6; Job 1:20), neglect of the person or the removal of ornaments (Ex 33:4; De 21:12-13; 2Sa 14:2; 19:24; Mt 6:16-17), fasting (2Sa 1:12), covering the upper lip (Le 13:45; Mic 3:7), cutting the flesh (Jer 16:6-7), and sitting in silence (Jg 20:26; 2Sa 12:16; 13:31; Job 1:20).
In the later times we find a class of mourners who could be hired to give by their loud lamentation the external tokens of sorrow (2Ch 35:25; Jer 9:17; Mt 9:23).
The period of mourning for the dead varied. For Jacob it was seventy days (Ge 50:3); for Aaron (Nu 20:29) and Moses (De 34:8) thirty days; and for Saul only seven days (1Sa 31:13). In 2Sa 3:31-35, we have a description of the great mourning for the death of Abner.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And Sarah died in Kiriath-arba, that is, Hebron, in the land of Canaan. And Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.
But Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, died and was buried below Bethel under an oak; and the name of it was called Allon-bacuth [oak of weeping].
Then Reuben [who had not been there when the brothers plotted to sell the lad] returned to the pit; and behold, Joseph was not in the pit, and he rent his clothes.
And Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourned many days for his son.
And Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourned many days for his son.
And Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourned many days for his son. And all his sons and daughters attempted to console him, but he refused to be comforted and said, I will go down to Sheol (the place of the dead) to my son mourning. And his father wept for him.
Then forty days were devoted [to this purpose] for him, for that is the customary number of days required for those who are embalmed. And the Egyptians wept and bemoaned him [as they would for royalty] for seventy days.
Then forty days were devoted [to this purpose] for him, for that is the customary number of days required for those who are embalmed. And the Egyptians wept and bemoaned him [as they would for royalty] for seventy days. And when the days of his weeping and deep grief were past, Joseph said to [the nobles of] the house of Pharaoh, If now I have found grace in your eyes, speak, I pray you, to Pharaoh [for Joseph was dressed in mourning and could not do so himself], saying, read more. My father made me swear, saying, I am about to die; in my tomb which I hewed out for myself in the land of Canaan, there you shall bury me. So now let me go up, I pray you, and bury my father, and I will come again. And Pharaoh said, Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear. And Joseph went up [to Canaan] to bury his father; and with him went all the officials of Pharaoh -- "the nobles of his court, and the elders of his house and all the nobles and elders of the land of Egypt -- " And all the household of Joseph and his brethren and his father's household. Only their little ones and their flocks and herds they left in the land of Goshen. And there went with [Joseph] both chariots and horsemen; and it was a very great company. And they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond [west of] the Jordan, and there they mourned with a great lamentation and extreme demonstrations of sorrow [according to Egyptian custom]; and [Joseph] made a mourning for his father seven days.
When the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned and no man put on his ornaments.
When the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned and no man put on his ornaments.
And Moses said to Aaron and Eleazar and Ithamar, his sons [the father and brothers of the two priests whom God had slain for offering false fire], Do not uncover your heads or let your hair go loose or tear your clothes, lest you die [also] and lest God's wrath should come upon all the congregation; but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the Lord has kindled.
And the leper's clothes shall be rent, and the hair of his head shall hang loose, and he shall cover his upper lip and cry, Unclean, unclean!
Also the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement; it shall be a holy [called] assembly, and you shall afflict yourselves [by fasting in penitence and humility] and present an offering made by fire to the Lord.
When all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they wept and mourned for him thirty days, all the house of Israel.
When all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they wept and mourned for him thirty days, all the house of Israel.
Then you shall bring her home to your house, and she shall shave her head and pare her nails [in purification from heathenism] And put off her prisoner's garb, and shall remain in your house and bewail her father and her mother a full month. After that you may go in to her and be her husband and she shall be your wife.
And the Israelites wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days; then the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended.
And the Israelites wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days; then the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended.
Then all the Israelites, the whole army, went up and came to the house of God [Bethel] and wept; and they sat there before the Lord and fasted that day until evening and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.
Then all the Israelites, the whole army, went up and came to the house of God [Bethel] and wept; and they sat there before the Lord and fasted that day until evening and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.
The Lord grant that you may find a home and rest, each in the house of her husband! Then she kissed them and they wept aloud.
So they gathered at Mizpah and drew water and poured it out before the Lord and fasted on that day and said there, We have sinned against the Lord. And Samuel judged the Israelites at Mizpah.
Now Samuel died, and all the Israelites assembled and mourned for him, and buried him at his house in Ramah. David arose and went to the Wilderness of Paran.
And they took their bones and buried them under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
They mourned and wept for Saul and Jonathan his son, and fasted until evening for the Lord's people and the house of Israel, because of their defeat in battle.
And David said to Joab and to all the people with him, Rend your clothes, gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And King David followed the bier.
And David said to Joab and to all the people with him, Rend your clothes, gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And King David followed the bier. They buried Abner in Hebron. And the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept. read more. And the king lamented over Abner and said, Should Abner die as a fool dies? Your hands were not bound or your feet put into fetters; as a man falls before wicked men, so you fell. And all the people wept again over him. All the people came to urge David to eat food while it was yet day; but David took an oath, saying, May God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything else, till the sun is down.
All the people came to urge David to eat food while it was yet day; but David took an oath, saying, May God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything else, till the sun is down.
And [she] put ashes on her head and tore the long, sleeved robe which she wore, and she laid her hand on her head and went away shrieking and wailing.
Jeremiah gave a lament for Josiah, and all the singing men and women have spoken of Josiah in their laments to this day. They made them an ordinance in Israel; behold, they are written in the Laments.
Then Job arose and rent his robe and shaved his head and fell down upon the ground and worshiped
Then Job arose and rent his robe and shaved his head and fell down upon the ground and worshiped
Then Job arose and rent his robe and shaved his head and fell down upon the ground and worshiped And said, Naked (without possessions) came I [into this world] from my mother's womb, and naked (without possessions) shall I depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed (praised and magnified in worship) be the name of the Lord!
And he took a piece of broken pottery with which to scrape himself, and he sat [down] among the ashes.
And when they looked from afar off and saw him [disfigured] beyond recognition, they lifted up their voices and wept; and each one tore his robe, and they cast dust over their heads toward the heavens.
But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I afflicted myself with fasting, and I prayed with head bowed on my breast.
O daughter of my people [says Jeremiah], gird yourself with sackcloth and wallow in ashes; make mourning as for an only son, a most bitter lamentation, for the destroyer will suddenly come upon us [on prophet and people].
Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider and call for the mourning women to come; send for the skillful women to come.
Both the great and the small shall die in this land. They shall not be buried, neither shall men lament for them or cut themselves or make themselves bald for them. Neither shall men prepare food for the mourners to comfort them for the dead; nor shall men give them the cup of consolation to drink for their father or for their mother.
So the people of Nineveh believed in God and proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth [in penitent mourning], from the greatest of them even to the least of them.
And the seers shall be put to shame and the diviners shall blush and be confounded; yes, they shall all cover their lips, for there is no answer from God.
And I will pour out upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace or unmerited favor and supplication. And they shall look [earnestly] upon Me Whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for Him as one who is in bitterness for his firstborn. In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of [the city of] Hadadrimmon in the Valley of Megiddo [over beloved King Josiah].
And whenever you are fasting, do not look gloomy and sour and dreary like the hypocrites, for they put on a dismal countenance, that their fasting may be apparent to and seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full already. But when you fast, perfume your head and wash your face,
And when Jesus came to the ruler's house and saw the flute players and the crowd making an uproar and din,
Then the high priest tore his clothes and exclaimed, He has uttered blasphemy! What need have we of further evidence? You have now heard His blasphemy.
And standing behind Him at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet with [her] tears; and she wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed His feet [affectionately] and anointed them with the ointment (perfume).
[A party of] devout men with others helped to carry out and bury Stephen and made great lamentation over him.
But as [the season was well advanced, for] much time had been lost and navigation was already dangerous, for the time for the Fast [the Day of Atonement, about the beginning of October] had already gone by, Paul warned and advised them,