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 Kirjath-Arba: that is Hebron, in the land of Canaan. And Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.
And Deborah, Rebecca's nurse, died; and she was buried beneath Bethel, under the oak; and the name of it was called Allon-bachuth.
And Reuben returned to the pit, and behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his garments,
And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth on his loins, and mourned for his son many days.
And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth on his loins, and mourned for his son many days.
And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth on 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 said, For I will go down to my son into Sheol mourning. Thus his father wept for him.
And forty days were fulfilled for him; for so are fulfilled the days of those who are embalmed. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.
And forty days were fulfilled for him; for so are fulfilled the days of those who are embalmed. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days. And when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spoke to the house of Pharaoh, saying, If now I have found favour in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, read more. My father made me swear, saying, Behold, I die; in my grave which I have dug myself in the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me. And now, let me go up, I pray thee, that I may 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 bondmen 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 the camp was very great. And they came to the threshing-floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan; and there they lamented with a great and very grievous lamentation; and he made a mourning for his father of seven days.
And when the people heard this evil word, they mourned; and no man put on his ornaments.
And when the people heard this evil word, they mourned; and no man put on his ornaments.
And Moses said to Aaron, and to Eleazar and to Ithamar his sons, Your heads shall ye not uncover, neither rend your clothes; lest ye die, and lest wrath come on all the assembly; but your brethren, the whole house of Israel, shall bewail the burning which Jehovah hath kindled.
And as to the leper in whom the sore is, his garments shall be rent, and his head shall be uncovered, and he shall put a covering on his beard, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean!
Also on the tenth of this seventh month is the day of the atonement: a holy convocation shall it be unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and present an offering by fire to Jehovah.
And the whole assembly saw that Aaron was dead, and they mourned for Aaron thirty days, even the whole house of Israel.
And the whole assembly saw that Aaron was dead, and they mourned for Aaron thirty days, even the whole 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 clothes of her captivity from off her, and shall abide in thy house, and bewail her father and mother a full month, and afterwards thou mayest 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; and the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended.
And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days; and the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended.
Then all the people of Israel, the whole army, went up and came to Bethel and wept; 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 people of Israel, the whole army, went up and came to Bethel and wept; they sat there before the LORD, and fasted that day until evening, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.
Jehovah grant you that ye may find rest, each in the house of her husband. And 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 were gathered together, and lamented him; and they 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 at 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 garments, and gird yourselves 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 garments, and gird yourselves 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 over 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 wicked men, Fellest thou! 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 swore, saying, So do God 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 swore, saying, So do God 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 vest of many colours which was on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went away, crying out as she went.
And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah; and all the singing men and singing women spoke of Josiah in their lamentations to this day; and they made them an ordinance for Israel. And behold, they are written in the lamentations.
And Job rose up, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down on the ground, and worshipped;
And Job rose up, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down on the ground, and worshipped;
And Job rose up, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down on 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 a potsherd to scrape himself with; 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 mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward the heavens.
But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I chastened my soul with fasting, and my prayer returned into mine own bosom:
Daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, and roll thyself in ashes: make mourning, as for an only son bitter lamentation; for the spoiler cometh suddenly upon us.
Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Consider, 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; and none shall lament for them, or cut themselves, nor make themselves bald for them. Nor shall they break bread for them in mourning, to comfort them for the dead; neither shall they give them the cup of consolations to drink for their father or for their mother.
And the men of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.
And the seers shall be ashamed, and the diviners confounded; and they shall all cover their lips, for there will be 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 supplications; and they shall look on me whom they pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for an only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadad-rimmon in the valley of Megiddon.
And when ye fast, be not as the hypocrites, downcast in countenance; for they disfigure their faces, so that they may appear fasting to men: verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when fasting, anoint thy head and wash thy face,
And when Jesus was come to the house of the ruler, and saw the flute-players and the crowd making a tumult,
Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He has blasphemed: what need have we any more of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard the blasphemy.
and standing at his feet behind him weeping, began to wash his feet with tears; and she wiped them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the myrrh.
And pious men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him.
And much time having now been spent, and navigation being already dangerous, because the fast also was already past, Paul counselled them,