Mourning

Passages on this topic

From Nave’s Topical Bible (1896), a historical reference index. The groupings are Nave’s; the verses are shown in the text used across this site.

For the dead

Head uncovered

• Leviticus 10:6 Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “Do not let your hair become disheveled and do not tear your garments, or else you will die, and the LORD will be angry with the whole congregation. But your brothers, the whole house of Israel, may mourn on account of the fire that the LOR…
• Leviticus 21:10 The priest who is highest among his brothers, who has had the anointing oil poured on his head and has been ordained to wear the priestly garments, must not let his hair hang loose or tear his garments.

Lying on the ground

• 2 Samuel 12:16 David pleaded with God for the boy. He fasted and went into his house and spent the night lying in sackcloth on the ground.

Personal appearance neglected

• 2 Samuel 14:2 So Joab sent to Tekoa to bring a wise woman from there. He told her, “Please pretend to be a mourner; put on clothes for mourning and do not anoint yourself with oil. Act like a woman who has mourned for the dead a long time.

Cutting the flesh

• Leviticus 19:28 You must not make any cuts in your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD.
• Leviticus 21:1–5 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Speak to Aaron’s sons, the priests, and tell them that a priest is not to defile himself for a dead person among his people, except for his immediate family — his mother, father, son, daughter, or brother, or his unmarried sister who is near to him, since she has no hu…
• Deuteronomy 14:1 You are sons of the LORD your God; do not cut yourselves or shave your foreheads on behalf of the dead,
• Jeremiah 16:6–7 “Both great and small will die in this land. They will not be buried or mourned, nor will anyone cut himself or shave his head for them. No food will be offered to comfort those who mourn the dead; not even a cup of consolation will be given for the loss of a father or mother.
• Jeremiah 41:5 eighty men who had shaved off their beards, torn their garments, and cut themselves came from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria, carrying grain offerings and frankincense for the house of the LORD.

Lamentations

• Genesis 50:10 When they reached the threshing floor of Atad, which is across the Jordan, they lamented and wailed loudly, and Joseph mourned for his father seven days.
• Exodus 12:30 During the night Pharaoh got up — he and all his officials and all the Egyptians — and there was loud wailing in Egypt; for there was no house without someone dead.
• 1 Samuel 30:4 So David and the troops with him lifted up their voices and wept until they had no strength left to weep.
• Jeremiah 22:18 Therefore this is what the LORD says concerning Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah: “They will not mourn for him: ‘Alas, my brother! Alas, my sister!’ They will not mourn for him: ‘Alas, my master! Alas, his splendor!’
• Matthew 2:17–18 Then what was spoken through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”

Fasting

• 1 Samuel 31:13 Then they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh, and they fasted seven days.
• 2 Samuel 1:12 They mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the people of the LORD and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
• 2 Samuel 3:35 Then all the people came and urged David to eat something while it was still day, but David took an oath, saying, “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun sets!”

Priests prohibited, except for the nearest of kin

• Leviticus 21:1–11 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Speak to Aaron’s sons, the priests, and tell them that a priest is not to defile himself for a dead person among his people, except for his immediate family — his mother, father, son, daughter, or brother, or his unmarried sister who is near to him, since she has no hu…

For Nadab and Abihu forbidden

• Leviticus 10:6 Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “Do not let your hair become disheveled and do not tear your garments, or else you will die, and the LORD will be angry with the whole congregation. But your brothers, the whole house of Israel, may mourn on account of the fire that the LOR…

Sexes separated in

• Zechariah 12:12 The land will mourn, each clan on its own: the clan of the house of David and their wives, the clan of the house of Nathan and their wives,
• Zechariah 12:14 and all the remaining clans and their wives.’’

Hired mourners

• 2 Chronicles 35:25 Then Jeremiah lamented over Josiah, and to this day all the male and female singers recite laments over Josiah. They established them as a statute for Israel, and indeed they are written in the Book of Laments.
• Ecclesiastes 12:5 when men fear the heights and dangers of the road, when the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper loses its spring, and the caper berry shrivels — for then man goes to his eternal home and mourners walk the streets.
• Jeremiah 9:17 This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Take note, and summon the wailing women; send for the most skillful among them.
• Matthew 9:23 When Jesus entered the house of the synagogue leader, He saw the flute players and the noisy crowd.

Abraham mourned for Sarah

• Genesis 23:2 She died in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went out to mourn and to weep for her.

The Egyptians mourned for Jacob for seventy days

• Genesis 50:1–3 Then Joseph fell upon his father’s face, wept over him, and kissed him. And Joseph directed the physicians in his service to embalm his father Israel. So they embalmed him, taking the forty days required to complete the embalming. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.

The Israelites mourned for Aaron for thirty days

• Numbers 20:29 When the whole congregation saw that Aaron had died, the entire house of Israel mourned for him thirty days.

David's lamentations over

The death of Saul and his sons

• 2 Samuel 1:17–27 Then David took up this lament for Saul and his son Jonathan, and he ordered that the sons of Judah be taught the Song of the Bow. It is written in the Book of Jashar: “Your glory, O Israel, lies slain on your heights. How the mighty have fallen! Tell it not in Gath; proclaim it not in the streets…

The death of Abner

• 2 Samuel 3:33–34 And the king sang this lament for Abner: “Should Abner die the death of a fool? Your hands were not bound, your feet were not fettered. As a man falls before the wicked, so also you fell.” And all the people wept over him even more.

The death of Absalom

• 2 Samuel 18:33 The king was shaken and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he walked, he cried out, “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”

Jeremiah and the singing men and singing women lament for Josiah

• 2 Chronicles 35:25 Then Jeremiah lamented over Josiah, and to this day all the male and female singers recite laments over Josiah. They established them as a statute for Israel, and indeed they are written in the Book of Laments.

For calamities and other sorrows

Ripping the garments

• Genesis 37:29 When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes,
• Genesis 37:34 Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth around his waist, and mourned for his son many days.
• Genesis 44:13 Then they all tore their clothes, loaded their donkeys, and returned to the city.
• Numbers 14:6 Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes
• Judges 11:35 As soon as Jephthah saw her, he tore his clothes and said, “No! Not my daughter! You have brought me to my knees! You have brought great misery upon me, for I have given my word to the LORD and cannot take it back.”
• 2 Samuel 1:2 On the third day a man with torn clothes and dust on his head arrived from Saul’s camp. When he came to David, he fell to the ground to pay him homage.
• 2 Samuel 1:11 Then David took hold of his own clothes and tore them, and all the men who were with him did the same.
• 2 Samuel 3:31 Then David ordered Joab and all the people with him, “Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn before Abner.” And King David himself walked behind the funeral bier.
• 2 Samuel 13:19 And Tamar put ashes on her head and tore her robe. And putting her hand on her head, she went away crying aloud.
• 2 Samuel 13:31 Then the king stood up, tore his clothes, and lay down on the ground. And all his servants stood by with their clothes torn.

Wearing mourning clothes

• Genesis 38:14 she removed her widow’s garments, covered her face with a veil to disguise herself, and sat at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the way to Timnah. For she saw that although Shelah had grown up, she had not been given to him as a wife.
• 2 Samuel 14:2 So Joab sent to Tekoa to bring a wise woman from there. He told her, “Please pretend to be a mourner; put on clothes for mourning and do not anoint yourself with oil. Act like a woman who has mourned for the dead a long time.

See Sackcloth

Cutting or plucking off the hair and beard

• Ezra 9:3 When I heard this report, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled out some hair from my head and beard, and sat down in horror.
• Jeremiah 7:29 Cut off your hair and throw it away. Raise up a lamentation on the barren heights, for the LORD has rejected and forsaken the generation of His wrath.’

See Baldness

Covering

The head and the face

• 2 Samuel 15:30 But David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went up. His head was covered, and he was walking barefoot. And all the people with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they went.
• 2 Samuel 19:4 But the king covered his face and cried out at the top of his voice, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!”
• Esther 6:12 Then Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman rushed home, with his head covered in grief.
• Jeremiah 14:3–4 The nobles send their servants for water; they go to the cisterns, but find no water; their jars return empty. They are ashamed and humiliated; they cover their heads. The ground is cracked because no rain has fallen on the land. The farmers are ashamed; they cover their heads.

The upper lip

• Leviticus 13:45 A diseased person must wear torn clothes and let his hair hang loose, and he must cover his mouth and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean!’
• Ezekiel 24:17 Groan quietly; do not mourn for the dead. Put on your turban and strap your sandals on your feet; do not cover your lips or eat the bread of mourners.”
• Ezekiel 24:22 Then you will do as I have done: You will not cover your lips or eat the bread of mourners.
• Micah 3:7 Then the seers will be ashamed and the diviners will be disgraced. They will all cover their mouths because there is no answer from God.”

Laying aside ornaments

• Exodus 33:4 When the people heard this bad news, they went into mourning, and no one put on any of his jewelry.
• Exodus 33:6 So the Israelites stripped themselves of their jewelry from Mount Horeb onward.

Walking barefoot

• 2 Samuel 15:30 But David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went up. His head was covered, and he was walking barefoot. And all the people with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they went.
• Isaiah 20:2 the LORD had already spoken through Isaiah son of Amoz, saying, “Go, remove the sackcloth from your waist and the sandals from your feet.” And Isaiah did so, walking around naked and barefoot.

Laying the hand on the head

• 2 Samuel 13:19 And Tamar put ashes on her head and tore her robe. And putting her hand on her head, she went away crying aloud.
• Jeremiah 2:37 Moreover, you will leave that place with your hands on your head, for the LORD has rejected those you trust; you will not prosper by their help.”

Ashes put on the head

• Ezekiel 27:30 They will raise their voices for you and cry out bitterly. They will throw dust on their heads and roll in ashes.

Dust on the head

• Joshua 7:6 Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown before the ark of the LORD until evening, as did the elders of Israel; and they all sprinkled dust on their heads.

Dressing in black

• Jeremiah 14:2 “Judah mourns and her gates languish. Her people wail for the land, and a cry goes up from Jerusalem.

Sitting on the ground

• Isaiah 3:26 And the gates of Zion will lament and mourn; destitute, she will sit on the ground.

Caused ceremonial defilement

• Numbers 19:11–16 Whoever touches any dead body will be unclean for seven days. He must purify himself with the water on the third day and on the seventh day; then he will be clean. But if he does not purify himself on the third and seventh days, he will not be clean. Anyone who touches a human corpse and fails to p…
• Numbers 31:19 All of you who have killed a person or touched the dead are to remain outside the camp for seven days. On the third day and the seventh day you are to purify both yourselves and your captives.
• Leviticus 21:1 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Speak to Aaron’s sons, the priests, and tell them that a priest is not to defile himself for a dead person among his people,

Prevented offerings from being accepted

• Deuteronomy 26:14 I have not eaten any of the sacred portion while in mourning, or removed any of it while unclean, or offered any of it for the dead. I have obeyed the LORD my God; I have done everything You commanded me.
• Hosea 9:4 They will not pour out wine offerings to the LORD, and their sacrifices will not please Him, but will be to them like the bread of mourners; all who eat will be defiled. For their bread will be for themselves; it will not enter the house of the LORD.

See Elegy