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 (the same is Hebron), in the land of Canaan. And Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.
And Deborah Rebekah's nurse died, and she was buried below Beth-el under the oak: and the name of it was called Allon-bacuth.
And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes.
And Jacob rent his garments, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.
And Jacob rent his garments, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.
And Jacob rent his garments, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days. And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down to Sheol to my son mourning. And his father wept for him.
And forty days were fulfilled for him; for so are fulfilled the days of embalming: and the Egyptians wept for him three-score and ten days.
And forty days were fulfilled for him; for so are fulfilled the days of embalming: and the Egyptians wept for him three-score and ten days. And when the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph spake unto the house of Pharaoh, saying, If now I have found favor in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, read more. My father made me swear, saying, Lo, I die: in my grave which I have digged for me in the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me. Now therefore let me go up, I pray thee, and bury my father, and I will come again. And Pharaoh said, Go up, and bury thy father, according as he made thee swear. And Joseph went up to bury his father; and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, and all the house of Joseph, and his brethren, and his father's house: only their little ones, and their flocks, and their herds, they left in the land of Goshen. And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen: and it was a very great company. And they came to the threshing-floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, and there they lamented with a very great and sore lamentation: and he made a mourning for his father seven days.
And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned: and no man did put on him his ornaments.
And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned: and no man did put on him his ornaments.
And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons, Let not the hair of your heads go loose, neither rend your clothes; that ye die not, and that he be not wroth with all the congregation: but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which Jehovah hath kindled.
And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and the hair of his head shall go loose, and he shall cover his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean.
Howbeit on the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement: it shall be a holy convocation unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto Jehovah.
And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they wept for Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel.
And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they wept for Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel.
then thou shalt bring her home to thy house; and she shall shave her head, and pare her nails; and she shall put the raiment of her captivity from off her, and shall remain in thy house, and bewail her father and her mother a full month: and after that thou shalt go in unto her, and be her husband, and she shall be thy wife.
And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days: so the days of weeping in the mourning for Moses were ended.
And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days: so the days of weeping in the mourning for Moses were ended.
Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto Beth-el, and wept, and sat there before Jehovah, and fasted that day until even; and they offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before Jehovah.
Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto Beth-el, and wept, and sat there before Jehovah, and fasted that day until even; and they offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before Jehovah.
Jehovah grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voice, and wept.
And they gathered together to Mizpah, and drew water, and poured it out before Jehovah, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against Jehovah. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpah.
And Samuel died; and all Israel gathered themselves together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. And David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran.
And they took their bones, and buried them under the tamarisk-tree in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
and they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Jehovah, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.
And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David followed the bier.
And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David followed the bier. And 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 for Abner, and said, Should Abner die as a fool dieth? Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters: As a man falleth before the children of iniquity, so didst thou fall. And all the people wept again over him. And all the people came to cause David to eat bread while it was yet day; but David sware, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or aught else, till the sun be down.
And all the people came to cause David to eat bread while it was yet day; but David sware, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or aught else, till the sun be down.
And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colors that was on her; and she laid her hand on her head, and went her way, crying aloud as she went.
And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations unto this day; and they made them an ordinance in Israel: and, behold, they are written in the lamentations.
Then Job arose, and rent his robe, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped;
Then Job arose, and rent his robe, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped;
Then Job arose, and rent his robe, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped; and he said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: Jehovah gave, and Jehovah hath taken away; blessed be the name of Jehovah.
And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself therewith; and he sat among the ashes.
And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his robe, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.
But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I afflicted my soul with fasting; And my prayer returned into mine own bosom.
O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation; for the destroyer shall suddenly come upon us.
Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, Consider ye, and call for the mourning women, that they may come; and send for the skilful women, that they may come:
Both great and small shall die in this land; they shall not be buried, neither shall men lament for them, nor cut themselves, nor make themselves bald for them; neither shall men break bread for them in mourning, to comfort them for the dead; neither shall men give them the cup of consolation to drink for their father or for their mother.
And 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.
And the seers shall be put to shame, and the diviners confounded; yea, they shall all cover their lips; for there is no answer of God.
And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplication; and they shall look unto me whom they have pierced; and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first-born. In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.
Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen of men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and wash thy face;
And when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the flute-players, and the crowd making a tumult,
Then the high priest rent his garments, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy: what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard the blasphemy:
and standing behind at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
And devout men buried Stephen, and made great lamentation over him.
And when much time was spent, and the voyage was now dangerous, because the Fast was now already gone by, Paul admonished them,