Dictionaries :: Mourn

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Mourn:

Frequent references are found in Scripture to, (1.) Mourning for the dead. Abraham mourned for Sarah (Gen 23:2); Jacob for Joseph (37:34,35); the Egyptians for Jacob (50:3-10); Israel for Aaron (Num 20:29), for Moses (Deu 34:8), and for Samuel (1Sa 25:1); David for Abner (2Sa 3:31,35); Mary and Martha for Lazarus (Jhn 11); devout men for Stephen (Act 8:2), etc.

(2.) For calamities, Job (Job 1:20,21; 2:8); Israel (Exd 33:4); the Ninevites (Jon 3:5); Israel, when defeated by Benjamin (Jdg 20:26), etc.

(3.) Penitential mourning, by the Israelites on the day of atonement (Lev 23:27; Act 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 (Gen 35:8, marg.; Luk 7:38, etc.); (2) by loud lamentation (Rth 1:9; 1Sa 6:19; 2Sa 3:31); (3) by the disfigurement of the person, as rending the clothes (Gen 37:29,34; Mat 26:65), wearing sackcloth (Gen 37:34; Psa 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 (Lev 10:6; Job 1:20), neglect of the person or the removal of ornaments (Exd 33:4; Deu 21:12,13; 2Sa 14:2; 19:24; Mat 6:16,17), fasting (2Sa 1:12), covering the upper lip (Lev 13:45; Mic 3:7), cutting the flesh (Jer 16:6,7), and sitting in silence (Jdg 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; Mat 9:23).

The period of mourning for the dead varied. For Jacob it was seventy days (Gen 50:3); for Aaron (Num 20:29) and Moses (Deu 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.