Reference: Mourning Customs
Hastings
The Oriental expression of grief has a twofold relationship. Towards God it is marked by silent and reverent submission symbolized by placing the hand on the mouth. 'The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away' (Job 1:21); 'I was dumb
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and took their bones and buried them under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
And David sang this song of mourning over Saul and Jonathan his son, and bade to teach the children of Israel the staves thereof. And behold, it is written in the book of the righteous: read more. "The glory of Israel is slain upon the high hills: Oh how were the mighty overthrown! Tell it not in Gath, nor publish it in the streets of Ashkelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, and that the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph thereof. Ye mountains of Gilboa, upon you be neither dew nor rain, nor fields whence heave offerings come: For there the shields of the mighty were cast from them, the shield of Saul as though he had not been anointed with oil. The bow of Jonathan and the sword of Saul turned never back again empty, from the blood of the wounded and from the fat of the mighty warriors. Saul and Jonathan lovely and pleasant in their lives, were in their deaths not divided; men swifter than Eagles and stronger than Lions. Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, which clothed you in purple and garments of pleasure, and bordered your raiment with ornaments of gold. How were the mighty slain in battle? Jonathan on the high hills was wounded to death. Woe is me for thee, my brother Jonathan! Delectable to me wast thou, exceeding. Thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women. How were the mighty overthrown, and how were the weapons of war forlorn!"
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 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.
Then David arose from the earth and washed and anointed himself and changed his apparel, and went into the house of the LORD and prayed; and after came to his own house and bade that they should set meat before him, and he did eat.
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."
Now when Job's friends heard of all the trouble that happened to him, there came three of them, every one from his own place: namely, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. For they were agreed together to come, to shew their compassion on him, and to comfort him. 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. read more. They sat them down by him also upon the ground seven days and seven nights. Neither was there any of them that spake one word unto him, for they saw that his pain was very great.
For as the infants weep when their mothers' teats are dried, so shall you weep for your fair fields and fruitful vineyards.
O Who will give my head water enough, and a well of tears for mine eyes, that I may weep night and day for the slaughter of my people?
Moreover, thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts, "Look that ye call for mourning wives, and send for wise women: that they come shortly, and sing a mourning song of you: that the tears may fall out of our eyes, and that our eyelids may gush out of water.
And therefore, thus sayeth the LORD against Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah king of Judah, "They shall not mourn for him as they used to do, 'Alas brother, alas sister.' Neither shall they say unto him, 'Alas sir, alas for that noble prince.'
{Ayin} Therefore do I weep, and mine eyes gush out of water: for the comforter that should quicken me is far from me. My children are driven away. For why? The enemy hath gotten the over hand.
Whole rivers of water gush out of mine eyes, for the great hurt of my people. {Pe} Mine eyes run, and cannot cease, for there is no rest.
And with that he brought me to the door of the port of the LORD's house, toward the north. And behold, there sat women mourning for Tammuz.
The suburbs shall shake at the loud cry of thy shipmen. All whirry men, and all mariners upon the sea, shall leap out of their boats and set themselves upon the land. read more. They shall lift up their voice because of thee, and make a lamentable cry. They shall cast dust upon their heads, and lie down in the ashes. They shall shave themselves, and put sackcloth upon them for thy sake. They shall mourn for thee with heartful sorrow and heavy lamentation; yea, their children also shall weep for thee. Alas, what city hath so been destroyed in the sea, as Tyre is? When thy wares and merchandise came from the seas, thou gavest all people enough. The kings of the earth hast thou made rich, through the multitude of thy wares and occupying: But now art thou cast down in to the deep of the sea, all thy resort of people is perished with thee. All they that dwell in the Isles are abashed at thee, and all their kings are afraid; yea, their faces have changed colour. The merchants of the nations wonder at thee, in that thou art so clean brought to naught, and comest no more up.'"
"'If no,' sayeth the LORD God, the God of hosts, 'there shall be mourning in all streets. Yea, they shall say in every street: alas, alas. They shall call the husbandman to lamentation; and such as can mourn, to mourning.
Wherefore I will mourn and make lamentation, bare and naked will I go: I must mourn like the dragons, and take sorrow as the ostriches:
"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, read more. that it appear not unto men how that thou fastest, but unto thy father which is in secret: and thy father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
And he came unto the house of the ruler of the Synagogue, and saw the wondering and them that wept and wailed greatly;
Where-fore comfort yourselves one another with these words.
For the lamb which is in the midst of the seat, shall feed them, and shall lead them unto fountains of living water, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes."