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.
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and then died in a head-city called Hebron in the land of Canaan. Then Abraham came to mourn Sara and to weep for her.
Then died Debora, Rebekah's nurse, and was buried beneath Bethel under an oak. And the name of it was called the oak of lamentation.
And when Reuben came again unto the pit and found not Joseph there, he rent his clothes,
And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth about his loins, and sorrowed for his son a long season.
And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth about his loins, and sorrowed for his son a long season.
And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth about his loins, and sorrowed for his son a long season. Then came all his sons and all his daughters to comfort him. And he would not be comforted, but said, "I will go down into the grave unto my son, mourning." And thus his father wept for him.
for so long doth the embalming last, and the Egyptians bewept him seventy days.
for so long doth the embalming last, and the Egyptians bewept him seventy days. And when the days of weeping were ended, Joseph spake unto the house of Pharaoh, saying, "If I have found favour in your eyes, speak unto Pharaoh and tell him, how that read more. my father made me swear and said, 'Lo, I die, see that thou bury me in my grave which I have made me in the land of Canaan.' Now therefore let me go and bury my father, and then will I come again." And Pharaoh said, "Go and bury thy father, according as he made thee swear." And Joseph went up to bury his father, and with him went all the servants of Pharaoh that were the elders of his house, and all the elders of Egypt, and all the house of Joseph and his brethren and his father's house: only their children and their sheep and their cattle left they behind them in the land of Goshen. And there went with him also Chariots and horsemen: so that they were an exceeding great company. And when they came to the field of Atad beyond Jordan, there they made great and exceeding sore lamentation. And he mourned for his father seven days.
And when the people heard this evil tidings, they sorrowed: and no man did put on his best raiment.
And when the people heard this evil tidings, they sorrowed: and no man did put on his best raiment.
And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and Ithamar his eldest sons, "Uncover not your head, neither rent your clothes; lest ye die and wrath come upon all the people. Let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, beweep the burning which the LORD hath burnt.
"And the leper, in whom the plague is, shall have his clothes rent and his head bare and his mouth muffled and shall be called unclean.
"Also the tenth day of the self seventh month, is a day of atonement, and shall be a holy feast unto you, and ye shall humble your souls and offer sacrifice unto the LORD.
And Moses and Eleazar came down out of the mount. And all the house of Israel mourned for Aaron thirty days.
And Moses and Eleazar came down out of the mount. And all the house of Israel mourned for Aaron thirty days.
then bring her home to thine house and let her shave her head and pare her nails and put her raiment that she was taken in from her, and let her remain in thine house and beweep her father and her mother a month long and after that go in unto her and marry her and let her be thy wife.
And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the fields 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 fields of Moab thirty days. And the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended.
Then the children of Israel and all the people went up and came unto Bethel, and wept and sat there before the LORD, and fasted the same day unto evening, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.
Then the children of Israel and all the people went up and came unto Bethel, and wept and sat there before the LORD, and fasted the same day unto evening, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.
And the LORD grant you that you may find rest, either of you in the house of her husband." And so she kissed them.
And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water and poured it out before the LORD and fasted the same day, and said there, "We have sinned against the LORD." And Samuel judged the causes of the children of Israel in Mizpeh.
And then Samuel died, and all Israel gathered together and lamented him, and buried him in his own house at Ramah. And David arose and gat him to the wilderness of Paran.
and took their bones and buried them under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
And they mourned, wept and fasted until evening - for Saul, and Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel, because they were overthrown with the sword.
And David said to Joab and to all the people that were with him, "Rent your clothes and put on sackcloth and mourn before Abner." And king David himself followed the bier.
And David said to Joab and to all the people that were with him, "Rent your clothes and put on sackcloth and mourn before Abner." And king David himself followed the bier. And when they had buried Abner in Hebron, the king lifted up his voice and wept over the sepulchre of Abner, and so did all the people. read more. And the king lamented over Abner and said, "Abner died not as a wretch dieth. Thy hands were not manacled nor thy feet brought into fetters: but as men fall before wicked children, so fellest thou." And all the people wept yet more over him. And when all the people came to eat meat with David, while it was yet day, David sware, saying, "So do God to me and so thereto, if I taste bread or ought else till the sun be down."
And when all the people came to eat meat with David, while it was yet day, David sware, saying, "So do God to me and so thereto, if I taste bread or ought else till the sun be down."
And Tamar put ashes on her head and rent her gay kirtle that was on her and put her hand on her head and so went, and as she went cried.
And Jeremiah lamented Josiah, and all singing men and singing women speak of Josiah to this day, and made it an ordinance in Israel: and they be written in lamentations.
Then Job stood up, and rent his clothes, shaved his head, fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,
Then Job stood up, and rent his clothes, shaved his head, fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,
Then Job stood up, and rent his clothes, shaved his head, fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, and said, "Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I turn thither again. The LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; now blessed be the name of the LORD."
so that he sat upon the ground in the ashes, and scraped off the filth of his sores with a potsherd.
So when they lift up their eyes afar off, they knew him not. Then they cried, and wept: then every one of them rent his clothes, and sprinkled dust upon their heads in the air.
Nevertheless, when they were sick, I put on sackcloth, and humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.
Wherefore, gird a sackcloth about thee, O daughter of my people; sprinkle thyself with ashes, mourn and weep bitterly, as upon the only beloved son: for the destroyer shall suddenly fall upon us.
Moreover, thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts, "Look that ye call for mourning wives, and send for wise women: that they come shortly,
And in this land shall they die, old and young, and shall not be buried: no man shall beweep them, no man shall clip or shave himself for them. There shall not one visit another, to mourn with them for their dead, or to comfort them. One shall not offer another the cup of consolation, to forget their heaviness for father and mother.
And the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed fasting, and arrayed themselves in sackcloth, as well the great as the small of them.
Then shall the vision seers be ashamed, and the soothsayers confounded: yea they shall be fain, all the pack of them, to stop their mouths: for they have not God's word.
Moreover, upon the house of David and upon the citizens of Jerusalem, will I pour out the spirit of grace and prayer, so that they shall look upon me, whom they have pierced: and they shall beweep him, as men mourn for their only begotten son: Yea, and be sorry for him, as men are sorry for their first child Then shall there be a great mourning at Jerusalem, like as the lamentation at Hadadrimmon in the field of Megiddo.
"Moreover, when ye fast, be not sad as the hypocrites are: for they disfigure their faces, that they might be seen of men how they fast. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face,
And when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the minstrels and the people raging,
Then the high priest rent his clothes saying, "He hath blasphemed: what need we of any more witnesses? Behold, now have ye heard his blasphemy:
and she stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with ointment.
Then devout men dressed Stephen, and made great lamentation over him.
When much time was spent and sailing was now jeopardous, because also that we had overlong fasted, Paul put them in remembrance,