20 Bible Verses about Bereavement

And he answered, "While the child was alive, I fasted and wept. For I this thought, 'Who can tell whether God will have mercy on me that the child may live?' But now, seeing it is dead, wherefore should I fast? Can I bring him again any more? I shall go to him: but he shall not come again to me."

While he was speaking, there came yet another, and said, "Thy sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house, and suddenly there came a mighty great wind out of the South, and smote the four corners of the house: which fell upon thy children, so that they are dead, and I alone am gotten away, to tell thee." Then Job stood up, and rent his clothes, shaved his head, fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, read more.
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."

It is better to go into a house of mourning, than into a banquet house: For there is the end of all men, and he that is living taketh it to heart. It is better to be sorry than to laugh, for when the countenance is heavy the heart is joyful. The heart of the wise is in the mourning house; but the heart of the foolish is in the house of mirth.

I would not, brethren, have you ignorant concerning them which are fallen asleep, that ye sorrow not as others do which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died, and rose again: even so them also which sleep by Jesus, will God bring again with him. And this say we unto you in the word of the Lord, that we which live and are remaining in the coming of the Lord, shall not come before they which sleep. read more.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, and the voice of the archangel, and trump of God. And the dead in Christ shall arise first: then shall we which live and remain, be caught up with them also in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so shall we ever be with the Lord. Where-fore comfort yourselves one another with these words.

And at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt: from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his seat, unto the firstborn of the captive that was in prison, and all firstborn of the cattle.

And though they bring up any, yet will I make them childless among men. Yea, woe shall come to them, when I depart from them.

And the king was moved and went up to a chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went thus he said, "My son Absalom, my son, my son, my son Absalom, would to God I had died for thee Absalom, my son, my son."

And the king hid his face and cried with a loud voice, "My son Absalom, Absalom my son my son."

And Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died; and she remained with her two sons

Mahlon and Chilion died also; even both two of them, so that the wife was left desolate of her two sons and of her husband thereto.

But she said unto them, "Call me not Naomi: call me Mara, for the Almighty hath made me very bitter. I went out full: but the LORD hath brought me home empty. Why should ye then call me Naomi: seeing the LORD hath humbled me, and the Almighty hath brought me unto adversity?"

And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the child, that Uriah's wife bare David, and it sickened. And David besought God for the boy and fasted and went and lay all night upon the earth. And the elders of his house arose and went to him to take him up from the earth. But he would not, neither yet eat meat with them. read more.
And it happened the seventh day that the child died. But the servants of David durst not tell him that the child was dead. For they said, "See, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice. How much more then will he vex himself if we tell him that the child is dead?" But David saw his servants whispering and thereby perceived that the child was dead, and said unto his servants, "Is the child dead?" And they said, "Yea." 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. Then said his servants unto him, "What is this that thou hast done? Thou did fast and weep for thy child while it was alive, and as soon as it was dead thou didst rise up and didst eat meat." And he answered, "While the child was alive, I fasted and wept. For I this thought, 'Who can tell whether God will have mercy on me that the child may live?' But now, seeing it is dead, wherefore should I fast? Can I bring him again any more? I shall go to him: but he shall not come again to me."

"Thou son of man, behold, I take away the pleasure of thine eyes with a plague: yet shalt thou neither mourn, nor weep, nor water thy cheeks therefore. Thou mayest mourn by thyself alone, but use no deadly lamentation. Hold on thy bonnet, and put on thy shoes upon thy feet, cover not thy face, and eat no mourner's bread." So I spake unto the people betimes in the morning; and at even my wife died. Then upon the next morrow, I did as I was commanded.

And at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt: from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his seat, unto the firstborn of the captive that was in prison, and all firstborn of the cattle. Then Pharaoh arose the same night and all his servants and all the Egyptians, and there was a great crying throughout Egypt, for there was no house where there was not one dead. And he called unto Moses and Aaron by night, saying, "Rise up, and get you out from among my people: both ye and also the children of Israel, and go and serve the LORD as ye have said. read more.
And take your sheep and your oxen with you as ye have said, and depart and bless me also." And the Egyptians were fierce upon the people and made haste to send them out of the land: for they said, "We be all dead men."

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.

And Joseph fell upon his father's face, and wept upon him, and kissed him.

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

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.

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.