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VERSES ABOUT FASTING
Fasting helps me grow closer to God and strengthens my relationship with my Heavenly Father. I try not to see it as something I do for my own benefit, but as a way to improve my walk with God. It's a voluntary choice, a time when I set aside the physical need for food to nourish my spirit. It's a special time to seek God's presence, which is why I find it helpful to fast in a quiet place where I can talk with Him alone.
The Bible talks about this too. Daniel 9:31 says, "So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes." It's really inspiring to see how people in the Bible sought God through fasting.
“And when you fast, do not be sad-faced like the hypocrites. For they disfigure their faces so that they appear to be fasting to men. Truly, I say to you, they have their reward.But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place. And your Father who sees in secret shall reward you openly.
“Is this not the fast that I have chosen: to loosen the tight cords of wrongness, to undo the bands of the yoke, to exempt the oppressed, and to break off every yoke?“Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; when you see the naked, and cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh?
“Yet even now,” declares יהוה, “turn to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.”And tear your heart and not your garments, and turn back to יהוה your Elohim, for He shows favour and is compassionate, patient, and of great loving-commitment, and He shall relent concerning the evil.
So I set my face toward יהוה the Elohim to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes.
And as they were doing service to the Master and fasted, the Set-apart Spirit said, “Separate unto Me Barnaḇa and Sha’ul for the work to which I have called them.”“And after that He gave judges for about four hundred and fifty years, until Shemu’ĕl the prophet.“But then they asked for a sovereign, and Elohim gave them Sha’ul the son of Qish, a man of the tribe of Binyamin, for forty years.And having removed him, He raised up for them Dawiḏ as sovereign, to whom also He gave witness and said, ‘I have found Dawiḏ the son of Yishai, a man after My own heart, who shall do all My desires.’ ”“From this one’s seed, according to the promise, Elohim raised up for Yisra’ĕl a Saviour, יהושע,after Yoḥanan had first proclaimed the immersion of repentance to all the people of Yisra’ĕl, before His coming.And as Yoḥanan was completing his mission, he said, ‘Who do you suppose I am? I am not He. But see, there comes One after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to loose.’ ”“Men, brothers, sons of the race of Aḇraham, and those among you fearing Elohim, to you the word of this deliverance has been sent,for those dwelling in Yerushalayim, and their rulers, because they did not know Him, nor even the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath, have filled them in having judged Him.“And having found not one cause for death, they asked Pilate that He should be put to death.“And when they had accomplished all that was written concerning Him, taking Him down from the timber, they laid Him in a tomb.Then having fasted and prayed, and having laid hands on them, they sent them away.
I then proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahawa, to humble ourselves before our Elohim, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions,for I was ashamed to ask of the sovereign a group of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the way, because we had spoken to the sovereign, saying, “The hand of our Elohim is upon all those for good who seek Him, but His power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him.”So we fasted and prayed to our Elohim for this, and He answered our prayer.
And Yehoshaphat was afraid, and set his face to seek יהוה, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Yehuḏah.Then the reign of Yehoshaphat was at peace, for his Elohim gave him rest on all sides.Thus Yehoshaphat reigned over Yehuḏah – thirty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-five years in Yerushalayim. And his mother’s name was Azuḇah the daughter of Shilḥi.And he walked in the way of his father Asa and did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the eyes of יהוה.Only, the high places were not taken away, for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts for the Elohim of their fathers.And the rest of the acts of Yehoshaphat, the first and the last, see, they are written in the book of Yĕhu son of Ḥanani, which is mentioned in the book of the sovereigns of Yisra’ĕl.And after this Yehoshaphat sovereign of Yehuḏah joined himself with Aḥazyah sovereign of Yisra’ĕl. He did wrong in doing so.And he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish, and they made the ships in Etsyon Geḇer.Then Eli‛ezer son of Doḏawahu of Marĕshah prophesied against Yehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have joined yourself with Aḥazyahu, יהוה shall break up your work.” And the ships were wrecked, so that they were unable to go to Tarshish.And Yehuḏah gathered to inquire of יהוה, even from all the cities of Yehuḏah they came to seek יהוה.
And it came to be, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days. And I was fasting and praying before the Elohim of the heavens,
And יהושע, being filled with the Set-apart Spirit, returned from the Yardĕn and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,for it has been written, ‘He shall command His messengers concerning You, to guard over You,’and, ‘In their hands they shall bear You up, lest You dash Your foot against a stone.’ ”And יהושע answering, said to him, “It has been said, ‘You shall not try יהוה your Elohim.’ ”And when the devil had ended every trial, he went away from Him until a convenient time.And יהושע returned in the power of the Spirit to Galil, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding country.And He was teaching in their congregations, being praised by all.And He came to Natsareth, where He had been brought up. And according to His practice, He went into the congregation on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.And the scroll of the prophet Yeshayahu was handed to Him. And having unrolled the scroll, He found the place where it was written:“The Spirit of יהוה is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to bring the Good News to the poor. He has sent Me to heal the broken-hearted, to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to send away crushed ones with a release,to proclaim the acceptable year of יהוה.”being tried for forty days by the devil. And in those days He did not eat at all, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.
And he was there with יהוה forty days and forty nights. He did not eat bread and he did not drink water. And He wrote on the tablets the Words of the covenant, the Ten Words.
And having appointed elders in every assembly, having prayed with fasting, they committed them to the Master in whom they had believed.
But I, when they were sick, I put on sackcloth; I humbled my being with fastings; And my prayer would return to my own bosom.I walked about as though he were my friend or brother; I bowed down mourning, as one mourning for a mother.
And it came to be, when Aḥaḇ heard those words, that he tore his garments and put sackcloth on his body, and fasted and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.And the word of יהוה came to Ěliyahu the Tishbite, saying,“See how Aḥaḇ has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I do not bring the evil in his days, but in the days of his son I bring the evil on his house.”
Then the taught ones of Yoḥanan came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your taught ones do not fast?”And יהושע said to them, “Are the friends of the bridegroom able to mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days shall come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they shall fast.
In those days I, Dani’ĕl, was mourning three weeks of days.And he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? And now I return to fight with the head of Persia. And when I have left, see, the head of Greece shall come.“But let me declare to you what is written in the Scripture of Truth, and there is not one strengthening himself with me concerning these, except Miḵa’ĕl your head.I did not eat desirable food, and meat and wine did not come into my mouth, and I did not anoint myself at all, till the completion of three weeks of days.
They say, ‘Why have we fasted, and You have not seen? Why have we afflicted our beings, and You took no note?’ ”Look, in the day of your fasting you find pleasure, and drive on all your labourers.“Look, you fast for strife and contention, and to strike with the fist of wrongness. You do not fast as you do this day, to make your voice heard on high.“Is it a fast that I have chosen, a day for a man to afflict his being? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, and to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Do you call this a fast, and an acceptable day to יהוה?
And on the twenty-fourth day of this new moon the children of Yisra’ĕl were assembled with fasting, and in sackcloth, and with earth on them.and gave signs and wonders against Pharaoh, and against all his servants, and against all the people of his land. For You knew that they acted proudly against them. And You made a Name for Yourself, as it is this day.“And You split the sea before them, and they passed over into the midst of the sea on the dry land. And their pursuers You threw into the deep as a stone into the mighty waters.“And You led them by day with a cloudy column, and by night with a column of fire, to give them light in the way they were to go.“And You came down on Mount Sinai, and spoke with them from the heavens, and gave them straight right-rulings and Torot of truth, good laws and commands.“And You made known to them Your set-apart Sabbath, and You commanded them commands and laws and Torot, by the hand of Mosheh Your servant.“And You gave them bread from the heavens for their hunger, and brought them water out of the rock for their thirst, and said to them to go in to possess the land which You had sworn to give them.“But they and our fathers acted proudly, and hardened their necks, and did not obey Your commands.“And they refused to obey, and they remembered not Your wonders that You did among them, and hardened their necks, and in their rebellion they appointed a leader to return to their bondage. But You are a forgiving Eloah, showing favour, and compassionate, patient, and of great loving-commitment, and did not forsake them.“Even when they made a moulded calf for themselves, and said, ‘This is your mighty one that brought you up out of Mitsrayim,’ and worked great blasphemies,yet You, in Your great compassion did not forsake them in the wilderness. The column of the cloud did not turn away from them by day to lead them on the way, nor the column of fire by night to give them light in the way they were to go.And the descendants of Yisra’ĕl separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their sins, and the crookednesses of their fathers,
“Speak to all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, ‘When you fasted and lamented in the fifth and seventh months all these seventy years, did you truly fast for Me – for Me?
And they gathered to Mitspah and drew water, and poured it out before יהוה. And they fasted that day, and said there, “We have sinned against יהוה.” And Shemu’ĕl rightly ruled the children of Yisra’ĕl at Mitspah.
Do not deprive one another except with agreement for a time, to give yourselves to fasting and prayer. And come together again so that Satan does not try you because of your lack of self-control.
And Dawiḏ sought Elohim for the child, and Dawiḏ fasted and went in and spent all night lying on the ground.
“Go, gather all the Yehuḏim who are present in Shushan, and fast for me, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I too, and my young women shall fast in the same way, then I shall go to the sovereign, which is against the law. And if I shall perish, I shall perish!”
Set apart a fast. Call an assembly, gather the elders, all the inhabitants of the land, into the House of יהוה your Elohim, and cry out to יהוה.
And all the children of Yisra’ĕl, even all the people, went up and came to Bĕyth Ěl and wept, and sat there before יהוה and fasted that day until evening. And they offered ascending offerings and peace offerings before יהוה.
And he rose up and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Ḥorĕḇ, the mountain of Elohim.
And Cornelius said, “Four days ago I was fasting until this hour. And at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and see, a man stood before me in shining garments,and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your kind deeds were remembered before Elohim.
And the sovereign went to his palace and spent the night fasting. And no entertainment was brought before him, and his sleep fled from him.
And the men of Ninewĕh believed in Elohim, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them.
so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place. And your Father who sees in secret shall reward you openly.
“When they fast, I do not hear their cry. And when they offer ascending offering and grain offering, I do not accept them. Instead, I am consuming them by sword, and by scarcity of food, and by pestilence.”
“Thus said יהוה of hosts, ‘The fast of the fourth, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth months, are to be joy and gladness, and pleasant appointed times for the house of Yehuḏah – and they shall love the truth and the peace.’
But I, when they were sick, I put on sackcloth; I humbled my being with fastings; And my prayer would return to my own bosom.
Blow a shophar in Tsiyon, set apart a fast, call an assembly.Gather the people, set the assembly apart, assemble the elders, gather the children and nursing babes. Let a bridegroom come out from his room, and a bride from her dressing room.
But I treat my body severely and make it my slave, lest having proclaimed to others, I myself might be rejected.
And it came to be, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days. And I was fasting and praying before the Elohim of the heavens,and I said, “I pray, יהוה Elohim of the heavens, O great and awesome Ěl, guarding the covenant and loving-commitment with those who love You, and with those guarding Your commands,please let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open, to hear the prayer of Your servant which I am praying before You now, day and night, for the children of Yisra’ĕl Your servants, and confess the sins of the children of Yisra’ĕl which we have sinned against You. Both my father’s house and I have sinned.
And so he did, year by year. Whenever she went up to the House of יהוה, she was provoked, so that she wept and did not eat.And her husband Elqanah said to her, “Ḥannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? And why is your heart sad? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”
And as they were doing service to the Master and fasted, the Set-apart Spirit said, “Separate unto Me Barnaḇa and Sha’ul for the work to which I have called them.”
and she was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not leave the Set-apart Place, but served Elohim with fastings and prayers night and day.
And she wrote in the letters, saying, “Proclaim a fast, and seat Naḇoth at the head of the people,
And while I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Yisra’ĕl, and presenting my supplication before יהוה my Elohim for the set-apart mountain of my Elohim,while I was still speaking in prayer, the man Gaḇri’ĕl, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, came close to me, in swift flight about the time of the evening offering.And he made me understand, and talked with me, and said, “O Dani’ĕl, I have now come forth to make you wise concerning understanding.“At the beginning of your supplications a word went out, and I have come to make it known, for you are greatly appreciated. So consider the word and understand the vision:
And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Sha’ul and for Yehonathan his son, and for the people of יהוה and for the house of Yisra’ĕl, because they had fallen by the sword.
And all the children of Yisra’ĕl, even all the people, went up and came to Bĕyth Ěl and wept, and sat there before יהוה and fasted that day until evening. And they offered ascending offerings and peace offerings before יהוה.And the children of Yisra’ĕl asked of יהוה – the ark of the covenant of Elohim was there in those days,and Pineḥas son of El‛azar, son of Aharon, stood before it in those days – saying, “Should I yet again go out to battle against the children of my brother Binyamin, or should I cease?” And יהוה said, “Go up, for tomorrow I give them into your hand.”
Set apart a fast. Call an assembly, gather the elders, all the inhabitants of the land, into the House of יהוה your Elohim, and cry out to יהוה.Alas for the day! For the day of יהוה is near, and it comes as destruction from the Almighty.
But days shall come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they shall fast in those days.
to establish these days of Purim at their appointed times, as Mordeḵai the Yehuḏi and Sovereigness Estĕr had established for them, and as they had established for themselves and their seed concerning matters of their fastings and lamenting.
“Cry aloud, do not spare. Lift up your voice like the shophar. Declare to My people their transgression, and the house of Ya‛aqoḇ their sins.if you extend your being to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted being, then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness be as noon.“Then יהוה would guide you continually, and satisfy your being in drought, and strengthen your bones. And you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.“And those from among you shall build the old waste places. You shall raise up the foundations of many generations. And you would be called the Repairer of the Breach, the Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.“If you do turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on My set-apart day, and shall call the Sabbath ‘a delight,’ the set-apart day of יהוה ‘esteemed,’ and shall esteem it, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words,then you shall delight yourself in יהוה. And I shall cause you to ride on the heights of the earth, and feed you with the inheritance of Ya‛aqoḇ your father. For the mouth of יהוה has spoken!”“Yet they seek Me day by day, and delight to know My ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and did not forsake the right-ruling of their Elohim. They ask of Me rulings of righteousness, they delight in drawing near to Elohim.They say, ‘Why have we fasted, and You have not seen? Why have we afflicted our beings, and You took no note?’ ”Look, in the day of your fasting you find pleasure, and drive on all your labourers.“Look, you fast for strife and contention, and to strike with the fist of wrongness. You do not fast as you do this day, to make your voice heard on high.“Is it a fast that I have chosen, a day for a man to afflict his being? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, and to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Do you call this a fast, and an acceptable day to יהוה?“Is this not the fast that I have chosen: to loosen the tight cords of wrongness, to undo the bands of the yoke, to exempt the oppressed, and to break off every yoke?“Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; when you see the naked, and cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh?“Then your light would break forth like the morning, your healing spring forth speedily. And your righteousness shall go before you, the esteem of יהוה would be your rear guard.“Then, when you call, יהוה would answer; when you cry, He would say, ‘Here I am.’ ”If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and the speaking of unrighteousness,
Then יהושע was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tried by the devil.Then יהושע said to him, “Go, Satan! For it has been written, ‘You shall worship יהוה your Elohim, and Him alone you shall serve.’ ”Then the devil left Him, and see, messengers came and attended Him.And יהושע, having heard that Yoḥanan had been put in prison, withdrew into Galil.And leaving Natsareth, He came and dwelt in Kephar Naḥum, which is by the sea, in the borders of Zeḇulun and Naphtali,to fill what was spoken by Yeshayahu the prophet, saying,“Land of Zeḇulun and land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Yardĕn, Galil of the nations –the people who sat in darkness saw a great light, and upon those who sat in the land and shadow of death, light arose to them.”From that time יהושע began to proclaim and to say, “Repent, for the reign of the heavens has drawn near.”And יהושע, walking by the Sea of Galil, saw two brothers, Shim‛on called Kĕpha, and Andri his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.And He said to them, “Follow Me, and I shall make you fishers of men.”And after having fasted forty days and forty nights, He was hungry.And immediately they left their nets and followed Him.And going on from there, He saw two other brothers, Ya‛aqoḇ the son of Zaḇdai, and Yoḥanan his brother, in the boat with Zaḇdai their father, mending their nets. And He called them,and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.And יהושע went about all Galil, teaching in their congregations, and proclaiming the Good News of the reign, and healing every disease and every bodily weakness among the people.And news about Him went out into all Suria. And they brought to Him all who were sick, afflicted with various diseases and pains, and those who were demon-possessed, and epileptics, and paralytics. And He healed them.And large crowds – from Galil, and Dekapolis, and Yerushalayim, and Yehuḏah, and beyond the Yardĕn – followed Him.And the trier came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of Elohim, command that these stones become bread.”But He answering, said, “It has been written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of יהוה.’ ”
and My people upon whom My Name is called, shall humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their evil ways, then I shall hear from the heavens, and forgive their sin and heal their land.
And when day was about to come, Sha’ul urged them all to take food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day you have continued without food, and eaten none at all.So I urge you to take food, for this concerns your safety, since not a hair shall fall from the head of any of you.
And the sovereign went to his palace and spent the night fasting. And no entertainment was brought before him, and his sleep fled from him.Then the sovereign rose up very early in the morning and hurried to the den of lions.and over them three governors, of whom Dani’ĕl was one, so that these viceroys should give account to them, and the sovereign suffer no loss.And when he came to the den, he called with a grieved voice to Dani’ĕl. The sovereign spoke and said to Dani’ĕl, “Dani’ĕl, servant of the living Elah, has your Elah, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?”
And יהושע said to them, “Are the friends of the bridegroom able to mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days shall come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they shall fast.
And it came to be in the fifth year of Yehoyaqim son of Yoshiyahu, sovereign of Yehuḏah, in the ninth new moon, that they called a fast before יהוה to all the people in Yerushalayim, and to all the people who came from the cities of Yehuḏah to Yerushalayim.
And the word reached the sovereign of Ninewĕh, so he arose from his throne and took off his robe, and covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes.And he proclaimed and said throughout Ninewĕh, “By decree of the sovereign and his nobles: No man or beast, herd or flock, shall taste whatever – let them not eat, let them not even drink water.“But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and call mightily to Elohim. And let each one turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands.“Who knows whether Elohim does turn and relent, and shall turn away from the heat of His displeasure, so that we do not perish?”
Then Ezra rose up from before the House of Elohim, and went into the room of Yehoḥanan son of Elyashiḇ. And he went there – he ate no bread and drank no water for he mourned because of the trespass of the exiles.
And they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree at Yaḇĕsh, and fasted for seven days.
And on the twenty-fourth day of this new moon the children of Yisra’ĕl were assembled with fasting, and in sackcloth, and with earth on them.and gave signs and wonders against Pharaoh, and against all his servants, and against all the people of his land. For You knew that they acted proudly against them. And You made a Name for Yourself, as it is this day.“And You split the sea before them, and they passed over into the midst of the sea on the dry land. And their pursuers You threw into the deep as a stone into the mighty waters.“And You led them by day with a cloudy column, and by night with a column of fire, to give them light in the way they were to go.“And You came down on Mount Sinai, and spoke with them from the heavens, and gave them straight right-rulings and Torot of truth, good laws and commands.“And You made known to them Your set-apart Sabbath, and You commanded them commands and laws and Torot, by the hand of Mosheh Your servant.“And You gave them bread from the heavens for their hunger, and brought them water out of the rock for their thirst, and said to them to go in to possess the land which You had sworn to give them.“But they and our fathers acted proudly, and hardened their necks, and did not obey Your commands.“And they refused to obey, and they remembered not Your wonders that You did among them, and hardened their necks, and in their rebellion they appointed a leader to return to their bondage. But You are a forgiving Eloah, showing favour, and compassionate, patient, and of great loving-commitment, and did not forsake them.“Even when they made a moulded calf for themselves, and said, ‘This is your mighty one that brought you up out of Mitsrayim,’ and worked great blasphemies,yet You, in Your great compassion did not forsake them in the wilderness. The column of the cloud did not turn away from them by day to lead them on the way, nor the column of fire by night to give them light in the way they were to go.And the descendants of Yisra’ĕl separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their sins, and the crookednesses of their fathers,“You also gave Your good Spirit to instruct them, and did not withhold Your manna from their mouth, and gave them water for their thirst.“And for forty years You sustained them in the wilderness – they lacked not. Their garments did not wear out and their feet did not swell.“And You gave them reigns and peoples, and apportioned them their lot. So they took possession of the land of Siḥon, and the land of the sovereign of Ḥeshbon, and the land of Oḡ sovereign of Bashan.“And You increased their children as the stars of the heavens, and brought them into the land which You had said to their fathers to go in and possess.“So the sons went in and possessed the land, and You humbled before them the people of the land, the Kena‛anites, and gave them into their hands, with their sovereigns and the people of the land, to do with them as they desired.“And they captured walled cities and a rich land, and possessed houses filled with all good, cisterns already dug, vineyards, and olive-trees, and fruit trees, in plenty. So they ate and were satisfied and grew fat, and delighted themselves in Your great goodness.“But they became disobedient and rebelled against You, and cast Your Torah behind their backs. And they kill Your prophets who had warned them, to bring them back to Yourself. And they worked great blasphemies.“Therefore You gave them into the hand of their enemies, who distressed them. And in the time of their distress, when they cried to You, You heard from the heavens. And according to Your great compassion You gave them saviours who saved them from the hand of their enemies.“But after they had rest, they turned back to do evil before You. Then You left them in the hand of their enemies, so that they ruled over them. But when they turned back and cried out to You, You heard from the heavens, and delivered them according to Your compassion, many times,and warned them, to bring them back to Your Torah. But they acted proudly, and did not obey Your commands, and sinned against Your right-rulings, ‘which if a man does, he shall live by them.’ And they gave the rebellious shoulder and hardened their necks, and would not hear.and they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Torah of יהוה their Elohim a fourth part of the day, and a fourth part they were confessing and worshipping יהוה their Elohim.
in toil and hardship, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness,
“When I went up into the mountain to receive the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant which יהוה made with you, then I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights. I did not eat bread nor did I drink water.
And all the children of Yisra’ĕl, even all the people, went up and came to Bĕyth Ěl and wept, and sat there before יהוה and fasted that day until evening. And they offered ascending offerings and peace offerings before יהוה.And the children of Yisra’ĕl asked of יהוה – the ark of the covenant of Elohim was there in those days,
And the men of Yisra’ĕl were distressed that day, for Sha’ul had placed the people under oath, saying, “Cursed be the man who eats food until evening, and I have taken revenge on my enemies.” Therefore none of the people tasted food.
“And when you fast, do not be sad-faced like the hypocrites. For they disfigure their faces so that they appear to be fasting to men. Truly, I say to you, they have their reward.
I did not eat desirable food, and meat and wine did not come into my mouth, and I did not anoint myself at all, till the completion of three weeks of days.
But You, O יהוה, Master, Deal with me for Your Name’s sake; Because Your loving-commitment is good, deliver me.For I am poor and needy, And my heart is pierced within me.I have gone like a lengthening shadow, I have been driven away like a locust.My knees are weak through fasting, And my flesh grows lean from fatness.
I then proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahawa, to humble ourselves before our Elohim, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions,
“But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and call mightily to Elohim. And let each one turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands.
And Mosheh went into the midst of the cloud and went up into the mountain. And it came to be that Mosheh was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.
Then the taught ones of Yoḥanan came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your taught ones do not fast?”And יהושע said to them, “Are the friends of the bridegroom able to mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days shall come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they shall fast.“And no one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse.“Neither do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”
And in every province where the sovereign’s command and decree came, there was great mourning among the Yehuḏim, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing. And many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
And Yehoshaphat was afraid, and set his face to seek יהוה, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Yehuḏah.
“Please try your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink.
And they gathered to Mitspah and drew water, and poured it out before יהוה. And they fasted that day, and said there, “We have sinned against יהוה.” And Shemu’ĕl rightly ruled the children of Yisra’ĕl at Mitspah.And when the Philistines heard that the children of Yisra’ĕl had gathered together at Mitspah, the princes of the Philistines went up against Yisra’ĕl. And the children of Yisra’ĕl heard of it, and were afraid of the Philistines.And the children of Yisra’ĕl said to Shemu’ĕl, “Do not cease to cry out to יהוה our Elohim for us, that He would save us from the hand of the Philistines.”
And at the evening offering I rose from my affliction. And having torn my garment and my robe, I fell on my knees and spread out my hands to יהוה my Elohim,
And Cornelius said, “Four days ago I was fasting until this hour. And at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and see, a man stood before me in shining garments,
But the man of Elohim said to the sovereign, “If you were to give me half your house, I do not go in with you, nor do I eat bread nor drink water in this place.“For so He commanded me by the word of יהוה, saying, ‘Do not eat bread, nor drink water, nor return by the same way you came.’ ”
And he said to me, “Do not fear, Dani’ĕl, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and to humble yourself before your Elohim, your words were heard, and I have come because of your words.“But the head of the rule of Persia withstood me twenty-one days. And see, Miḵa’ĕl, one of the chief heads, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the sovereigns of Persia.
As a deer longs for the water streams, So my being longs for You, O Elohim.With murder in my bones, My enemies have reproached me, While they say to me all day long, “Where is your Elohim?”Why are you depressed, O my being? And why are you restless within me? Wait for Elohim: for I shall yet thank Him, the deliverance of my face, And my Elohim.My being thirsts for Elohim, for the living Ěl. When shall I enter in to appear before Elohim?
And I assembled them at the river that flows to Ahawa, and we camped there three days. And I looked among the people and the priests, and did not find any of the sons of Lĕwi there.Then I sent for Eli‛ezer, for Ari’ĕl, for Shemayah, and for Elnathan, and for Yariḇ, and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for Zeḵaryah, and for Meshullam, leaders – also for Yoyariḇ and Elnathan, men of understanding.And I gave them a command for Iddo the chief man at the place Kasiphya, and put in their mouth words to speak to Iddo and his brothers the Nethinim at the place Kasiphya, to bring us servants for the House of our Elohim.Then, by the good hand of our Elohim upon us, they brought us a man of understanding, of the sons of Maḥli son of Lĕwi, son of Yisra’ĕl, and Shĕrĕḇyah, with his sons and brothers, eighteen;and Ḥashaḇyah, and with him Yeshayah of the sons of Merari, his brothers and their sons, twenty;of the sons of Phineḥas, Gĕreshom; of the sons of Ithamar, Dani’ĕl; of the sons of Dawiḏ, Ḥattush;and of the Nethinim, whom Dawiḏ and the leaders had appointed for the service of the Lĕwites, two hundred and twenty Nethinim, all of them designated by name.I then proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahawa, to humble ourselves before our Elohim, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions,for I was ashamed to ask of the sovereign a group of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the way, because we had spoken to the sovereign, saying, “The hand of our Elohim is upon all those for good who seek Him, but His power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him.”So we fasted and prayed to our Elohim for this, and He answered our prayer.
Then יהושע was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tried by the devil.Then יהושע said to him, “Go, Satan! For it has been written, ‘You shall worship יהוה your Elohim, and Him alone you shall serve.’ ”Then the devil left Him, and see, messengers came and attended Him.
And they said to Him, “Why do the taught ones of Yoḥanan fast often and make prayers, and likewise those of the Pharisees, but Yours eat and drink?”And He said to them, “Are you able to make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them?But days shall come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they shall fast in those days.
And the children of Yisra’ĕl asked of יהוה – the ark of the covenant of Elohim was there in those days,and Pineḥas son of El‛azar, son of Aharon, stood before it in those days – saying, “Should I yet again go out to battle against the children of my brother Binyamin, or should I cease?” And יהוה said, “Go up, for tomorrow I give them into your hand.”
In the first year of Dareyawesh the son of Aḥashwĕrosh, of the seed of the Medes, who was set up as sovereign over the reign of the Kasdim –“And we have not obeyed the voice of יהוה our Elohim, to walk in His Torot, which He set before us through His servants the prophets.“And all Yisra’ĕl have transgressed Your Torah, and turned aside, so as not to obey Your voice. So the curse and the oath written in the Torah of Mosheh the servant of Elohim have been poured out on us, for we have sinned against Him.“And He has confirmed His words, which He spoke against us and against our rulers who judged us, by bringing upon us great evil. For under all the heavens there has not been done like what was done to Yerushalayim.“As it is written in the Torah of Mosheh, all this evil has come upon us, and we have not entreated the face of יהוה our Elohim, to turn back from our crookednesses, and to study Your truth.“Hence יהוה has watched over the evil and has brought it upon us. For יהוה our Elohim is righteous in all the works which He has done, but we have not obeyed His voice.“And now, O יהוה our Elohim, who brought Your people out of the land of Mitsrayim with a strong hand, and made Yourself a Name, as it is this day – we have sinned, we have done wrong!“O יהוה, according to all Your righteousness, I pray, let Your displeasure and Your wrath be turned away from Your city Yerushalayim, Your set-apart mountain. For, because of our sins, and because of the crookednesses of our fathers, Yerushalayim and Your people have become a reproach to all those around us.“And now, our Elohim, hear the prayer of Your servant, and his supplications, and for the sake of יהוה cause Your face to shine on Your set-apart place, which is laid waste.“O my Elohim, incline Your ear and hear. Open Your eyes and see our wastes, and the city which is called by Your Name. For we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great compassions.“O יהוה, hear! O יהוה, forgive! O יהוה, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my Elohim, for Your city and Your people are called by Your Name.”in the first year of his reign I, Dani’ĕl, observed from the Scriptures the number of the years, according to the word of יהוה given to Yirmeyah the prophet, for the completion of the wastes of Yerushalayim would be seventy years.And while I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Yisra’ĕl, and presenting my supplication before יהוה my Elohim for the set-apart mountain of my Elohim,while I was still speaking in prayer, the man Gaḇri’ĕl, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, came close to me, in swift flight about the time of the evening offering.And he made me understand, and talked with me, and said, “O Dani’ĕl, I have now come forth to make you wise concerning understanding.“At the beginning of your supplications a word went out, and I have come to make it known, for you are greatly appreciated. So consider the word and understand the vision:“Seventy weeks are decreed for your people and for your set-apart city, to put an end to the transgression, and to seal up sins, and to cover crookedness, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up vision and prophet, and to anoint the Most Set-apart.“Know, then, and understand: from the going forth of the command to restore and build Yerushalayim until Messiah the Prince is seven weeks and sixty-two weeks. It shall be built again, with streets and a trench, but in times of affliction.“And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off and have naught. And the people of a coming prince shall destroy the city and the set-apart place. And the end of it is with a flood. And wastes are decreed, and fighting until the end.“And he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week. And in the middle of the week he shall put an end to slaughtering and meal offering. And on the wing of abominations he shall lay waste, even until the complete end and that which is decreed is poured out on the one who lays waste.”So I set my face toward יהוה the Elohim to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes.
And Nathan went to his house, and יהוה smote the child that Uriyah’s wife had born to Dawiḏ, and he was sick.And Dawiḏ sought Elohim for the child, and Dawiḏ fasted and went in and spent all night lying on the ground.So the elders of his house stood up over him, to raise him up from the earth. But he would not, nor did he eat food with them.And on the seventh day it came to be that the child died. And the servants of Dawiḏ were afraid to inform him that the child was dead, for they said, “Look, while the child was still alive, we spoke to him, and he would not listen to our voice. And how do we say to him that the child is dead? Then he shall do evil!”And Dawiḏ saw that his servants were whispering, and Dawiḏ perceived that the child was dead. Then Dawiḏ said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” And they said, “He is dead.”“The rich one had flocks and herds, very many.Dawiḏ then rose up from the ground, and washed and anointed himself, and changed his garments. And he went into the House of יהוה and bowed himself, then came to his own house, and asked, and they set food before him, so he ate.And his servants said to him, “What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept because of the living child, but when the child died, you rose up and ate food.”And he said, “While the child was alive I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who knows whether יהוה shows favour unto me, and the child shall live?’“But now he is dead, why should I fast? Am I able to bring him back again? I am going to him, but he does not return to me.”
Gird yourselves and lament, you priests. Wail, you attendants of the slaughter-place. Come, lie all night in sackcloth, you attendants of my Elohim. For the grain offering and the drink offering are withheld from the house of your Elohim.Set apart a fast. Call an assembly, gather the elders, all the inhabitants of the land, into the House of יהוה your Elohim, and cry out to יהוה.
And I wept in my being with fasting, And it became my reproach.And when I put on sackcloth, I became a proverb to them.
if you extend your being to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted being, then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness be as noon.“Then יהוה would guide you continually, and satisfy your being in drought, and strengthen your bones. And you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
But you, when you pray, go into your room, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place. And your Father who sees in secret shall reward you openly.
And I assembled them at the river that flows to Ahawa, and we camped there three days. And I looked among the people and the priests, and did not find any of the sons of Lĕwi there.
And Dawiḏ said to Eḇyathar the priest, son of Aḥimeleḵ, “Please bring the shoulder garment here to me.” So Eḇyathar brought the shoulder garment to Dawiḏ.And Dawiḏ inquired of יהוה, saying, “Do I pursue this band? Do I overtake them?” And He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall certainly overtake them, and certainly rescue.”
O Elohim, You are my Ěl; I earnestly seek You; My being has thirsted for You; My flesh has longed for You In a dry and thirsty land without water.They are handed over To the power of the sword; They become a portion for jackals.But let the sovereign rejoice in Elohim; Let everyone who swears by Him exult; For the mouth of those speaking lies is stopped.Therefore I have had a vision of You In the set-apart place, To see Your power and Your esteem.Because Your loving-commitment is better than life, My lips do praise You.Therefore I bless You while I live; In Your Name I lift up my hands.My being is satisfied as with marrow and fat, And my mouth praises You with singing lips.
And he prayed to יהוה, and he said, “Please, יהוה, was this not what I said while I was in my own land? This is why I went ahead and fled to Tarshish. For I know that You are an Ěl showing favour, and compassionate, patient and of great loving-commitment, and relenting from doing evil.
My being has longed, and even fainted, For the courts of יהוה; My heart and my flesh cry out for the living Ěl.
Let them give thanks to יהוה for His loving-commitment, And His wonders to the children of men!For He has satisfied a longing being, And has filled the hungry being with goodness.
And there was Ḥannah, a prophetess, a daughter of Penu’ĕl, of the tribe of Ashĕr. She was advanced in years, and had lived with a husband seven years from her maidenhood,and she was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not leave the Set-apart Place, but served Elohim with fastings and prayers night and day.
Then he said to them, “Go, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom none is prepared. For this day is set-apart to our Master. Do not be sad, for the joy of יהוה is your strength.”
And let יהוה be jealous for His land, and spare His people.And let יהוה answer and say to His people, “See, I am sending you the grain and the new wine and the oil, and you shall be satisfied by them. And no longer do I make you a reproach among the nations.
And Mordeḵai wrote these matters and sent letters to all the Yehuḏim who were in all the provinces of Sovereign Aḥashwĕrosh, both near and far,to establish among them, to perform the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the new moon of Aḏar, yearly,as the days on which the Yehuḏim had rest from their enemies, as the new moon which was turned from sorrow to joy for them, and from mourning to a good day, that they should make them days of feasting and joy, of sending portions to one another and gifts to the poor.
And in the assembly that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: both Barnaḇa and Shim‛on who was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaḥĕm who had been brought up with Herodes the district ruler, and Sha’ul.and said, “O son of the devil, filled with all deceit and all recklessness, you enemy of all righteousness, shall you not cease perverting the straight ways of יהוה?And now, see, the hand of יהוה is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time. And instantly a dark mist fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand.And having seen what took place, the proconsul believed, being astonished at the teaching of the Master.And having put out from Paphos, Sha’ul and those with him came to Perge in Pamphulia. And Yoḥanan, having left them, returned to Yerushalayim.But passing through from Perge, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the congregation on the Sabbath day and sat down.And after the reading of the Torah and the Prophets, the rulers of the congregation sent to them, saying, “Men, brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, speak.”And Sha’ul, standing up and motioning with his hand said, “Men, Yisra’ĕlis, and those fearing Elohim, listen:“The Elohim of this people Yisra’ĕl did choose our fathers, and exalted the people in their sojourning in the land of Mitsrayim, and with a high arm He brought them out of it.“Now for a time of about forty years He sustained them in the wilderness.“And having destroyed seven nations in the land of Kena’an, He gave their land to them as an inheritance.And as they were doing service to the Master and fasted, the Set-apart Spirit said, “Separate unto Me Barnaḇa and Sha’ul for the work to which I have called them.”“And after that He gave judges for about four hundred and fifty years, until Shemu’ĕl the prophet.“But then they asked for a sovereign, and Elohim gave them Sha’ul the son of Qish, a man of the tribe of Binyamin, for forty years.And having removed him, He raised up for them Dawiḏ as sovereign, to whom also He gave witness and said, ‘I have found Dawiḏ the son of Yishai, a man after My own heart, who shall do all My desires.’ ”“From this one’s seed, according to the promise, Elohim raised up for Yisra’ĕl a Saviour, יהושע,after Yoḥanan had first proclaimed the immersion of repentance to all the people of Yisra’ĕl, before His coming.And as Yoḥanan was completing his mission, he said, ‘Who do you suppose I am? I am not He. But see, there comes One after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to loose.’ ”“Men, brothers, sons of the race of Aḇraham, and those among you fearing Elohim, to you the word of this deliverance has been sent,for those dwelling in Yerushalayim, and their rulers, because they did not know Him, nor even the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath, have filled them in having judged Him.“And having found not one cause for death, they asked Pilate that He should be put to death.“And when they had accomplished all that was written concerning Him, taking Him down from the timber, they laid Him in a tomb.Then having fasted and prayed, and having laid hands on them, they sent them away.
“If you do turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on My set-apart day, and shall call the Sabbath ‘a delight,’ the set-apart day of יהוה ‘esteemed,’ and shall esteem it, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words,then you shall delight yourself in יהוה. And I shall cause you to ride on the heights of the earth, and feed you with the inheritance of Ya‛aqoḇ your father. For the mouth of יהוה has spoken!”
And after this it came to be that the children of Mo’aḇ and the children of Ammon came in, and with them some of the peoples, against Yehoshaphat to battle.“And now, see, the children of Ammon and Mo’aḇ, and Mount Sĕ‛ir, whom You would not let Yisra’ĕl invade when they came out of the land of Mitsrayim, for they turned from them and did not destroy them,and see, they are repaying us by coming in to drive us out of Your possession which You have given us to inherit.“O our Elohim, would You not judge them? For we are powerless against this great army that is coming against us. And we do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”And all Yehuḏah, with their little ones, their wives, and their children, stood before יהוה.And the Spirit of יהוה came upon Yaḥazi’ĕl son of Zeḵaryahu, son of Benayah, son of Ye‛i’ĕl, son of Mattanyah, a Lĕwite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly,and he said, “Listen, all Yehuḏah, and you inhabitants of Yerushalayim, and Sovereign Yehoshaphat! Thus said יהוה to you, ‘Do not fear, nor be afraid of the face of this great army, for the battle is not yours, but Elohim’s.Go down against them tomorrow. See, they are coming up by the ascent of Tsits, and you shall find them at the end of the wadi before the Wilderness of Yeru’ĕl.It is not for you to fight in this. Position yourselves, stand still and see the deliverance of יהוה with you, O Yehuḏah and Yerushalayim!’ Do not be afraid nor fear, go out against them tomorrow, for יהוה is with you.”And Yehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Yehuḏah and the inhabitants of Yerushalayim fell down before יהוה, to bow themselves before יהוה.And the Lĕwites, of the children of the Qehathites and of the children of the Qorḥites stood up to praise יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl with exceedingly loud voice.And they came and spoke to Yehoshaphat, saying, “A great army is coming against you from beyond the sea, from Aram. And see, they are in Ḥatsatson Tamar,” which is Ěn Geḏi.And they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Teqowa. And as they went out, Yehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Yehuḏah and you inhabitants of Yerushalayim: Trust in יהוה your Elohim and be steadfast, trust His prophets and prosper.”And after consulting with the people, he appointed those who should sing to יהוה, and who should praise the splendour of set-apartness, as they went out before the army and were saying, “Give thanks to יהוה, for His loving-commitment is everlasting.”And when they began singing and praising, יהוה set ambushes against the children of Ammon, Mo’aḇ, and Mount Sĕ‛ir, who had come against Yehuḏah, and they were smitten.Then the children of Ammon and Mo’aḇ stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Sĕ‛ir to destroy and annihilate them. And when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Sĕ‛ir, they helped to destroy one another.And when Yehuḏah came at the lookout in the wilderness, they looked toward the army and saw their dead bodies, lying on the ground, and none had escaped.And Yehoshaphat and his people came to take away their spoil, and they found among them a great amount of valuables on the dead bodies, and precious jewelry, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could take away. And they were three days plundering the spoil, for it was much.And on the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beraḵah, for there they blessed יהוה. Therefore the name of that place was called The Valley of Beraḵah to this day.Then they returned, every man of Yehuḏah and Yerushalayim, with Yehoshaphat in front of them, to go back to Yerushalayim with joy, for יהוה had made them rejoice over their enemies.And they came to Yerushalayim, with harps and lyres and trumpets, to the House of יהוה.And the fear of Elohim was on all the reigns of the lands when they heard that יהוה had fought against the enemies of Yisra’ĕl.And Yehoshaphat was afraid, and set his face to seek יהוה, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Yehuḏah.Then the reign of Yehoshaphat was at peace, for his Elohim gave him rest on all sides.
And Dani’ĕl said to the overseer whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over Dani’ĕl, Ḥananyah, Misha’ĕl, and Azaryah,“Please try your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink.
And it came to be, when Aḥaḇ heard those words, that he tore his garments and put sackcloth on his body, and fasted and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.
And the children of Yisra’ĕl rose and went up to Bĕyth Ěl to ask of Elohim, and they said, “Who of us go up first to battle against the children of Binyamin?” And יהוה said, “Yehuḏah first.”And the children of Yisra’ĕl rose in the morning and encamped against Giḇ‛ah.And the leaders of all the people, all the tribes of Yisra’ĕl, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of Elohim, four hundred thousand foot soldiers who drew the sword.And the men of Yisra’ĕl went out to battle against Binyamin, and the men of Yisra’ĕl put themselves in battle array to fight against them at Giḇ‛ah.And the children of Binyamin came out of Giḇ‛ah, and on that day cut down to the ground twenty-two thousand men of Yisra’ĕl.But the people, the men of Yisra’ĕl, strengthened themselves and again formed the battle line at the place where they had put themselves in array on the first day.And the children of Yisra’ĕl went up and wept before יהוה until evening, and asked of יהוה, saying, “Should I again draw near for battle against the children of my brother Binyamin?” And יהוה said, “Go up against him.”And the children of Yisra’ĕl drew near to the children of Binyamin on the second day.And Binyamin went out against them from Giḇ‛ah on the second day, and cut down to the ground eighteen thousand more of the children of Yisra’ĕl – all these drew the sword.And all the children of Yisra’ĕl, even all the people, went up and came to Bĕyth Ěl and wept, and sat there before יהוה and fasted that day until evening. And they offered ascending offerings and peace offerings before יהוה.
And after having fasted forty days and forty nights, He was hungry.And immediately they left their nets and followed Him.And going on from there, He saw two other brothers, Ya‛aqoḇ the son of Zaḇdai, and Yoḥanan his brother, in the boat with Zaḇdai their father, mending their nets. And He called them,and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.And יהושע went about all Galil, teaching in their congregations, and proclaiming the Good News of the reign, and healing every disease and every bodily weakness among the people.And news about Him went out into all Suria. And they brought to Him all who were sick, afflicted with various diseases and pains, and those who were demon-possessed, and epileptics, and paralytics. And He healed them.And large crowds – from Galil, and Dekapolis, and Yerushalayim, and Yehuḏah, and beyond the Yardĕn – followed Him.And the trier came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of Elohim, command that these stones become bread.”But He answering, said, “It has been written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of יהוה.’ ”
Set apart a fast. Call an assembly, gather the elders, all the inhabitants of the land, into the House of יהוה your Elohim, and cry out to יהוה.Alas for the day! For the day of יהוה is near, and it comes as destruction from the Almighty.Is not the food cut off before our eyes, joy and gladness from the House of our Elohim?
and they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Torah of יהוה their Elohim a fourth part of the day, and a fourth part they were confessing and worshipping יהוה their Elohim.
And Nathan went to his house, and יהוה smote the child that Uriyah’s wife had born to Dawiḏ, and he was sick.And Dawiḏ sought Elohim for the child, and Dawiḏ fasted and went in and spent all night lying on the ground.
And the sovereign went to his palace and spent the night fasting. And no entertainment was brought before him, and his sleep fled from him.Then the sovereign rose up very early in the morning and hurried to the den of lions.and over them three governors, of whom Dani’ĕl was one, so that these viceroys should give account to them, and the sovereign suffer no loss.And when he came to the den, he called with a grieved voice to Dani’ĕl. The sovereign spoke and said to Dani’ĕl, “Dani’ĕl, servant of the living Elah, has your Elah, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?”Then Dani’ĕl said to the sovereign, “O sovereign, live forever!“My Elah has sent His messenger and has shut the lions’ mouths, and they did not harm me, because I was found innocent before Him. And also before you, O sovereign, I have done no harm.”Then the sovereign was very glad and gave orders that Dani’ĕl be taken up out of the den. And Dani’ĕl was taken up out of the den, and no harm was found on him, because he trusted in his Elah.And the sovereign gave orders and they brought those men who had accused Dani’ĕl, and they threw them, their children, and their wives into the den of lions. And the lions overpowered them, and broke all their bones in pieces before they reached the floor of the den.
being tried for forty days by the devil. And in those days He did not eat at all, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.
And immediately there fell from his eyes, as it were scales, and he received his sight. And rising up, he was immersed.And having received food, he was strengthened. And Sha’ul was with the taught ones at Dammeseq some days.
Then Ezra rose up from before the House of Elohim, and went into the room of Yehoḥanan son of Elyashiḇ. And he went there – he ate no bread and drank no water for he mourned because of the trespass of the exiles.And they passed a call throughout Yehuḏah and Yerushalayim to all the sons of the exile, to gather at Yerushalayim,and that whoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the leaders and elders, all his goods would be put under a ban, and himself separated from the assembly of the exiles.
“Yet even now,” declares יהוה, “turn to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.”
In the third year of Koresh sovereign of Persia a word was revealed to Dani’ĕl, whose name was called Bĕlteshatstsar. And the word was true, and the conflict great. And he understood the word, and had understanding of the vision.And see, a hand touched me, and set me trembling on my knees and on the palms of my hands.And he said to me, “O Dani’ĕl, man greatly appreciated, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.” And while he was speaking this word to me, I stood trembling.And he said to me, “Do not fear, Dani’ĕl, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and to humble yourself before your Elohim, your words were heard, and I have come because of your words.“But the head of the rule of Persia withstood me twenty-one days. And see, Miḵa’ĕl, one of the chief heads, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the sovereigns of Persia.“And I have come to make you understand what is to befall your people in the latter days. For the vision is yet for days to come.”And when he had spoken such words to me, I turned my face toward the ground and kept silent.And see, one who looked like the sons of men touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and spoke and said to him who stood before me, “My master, because of the vision I have been seized with pains, and I have retained no strength.“So how was this servant of my master able to speak with you, my master? As for me, no strength remains in me now, nor is any breath left in me.”And again the one who looked like a man touched me and strengthened me.And he said, “Do not fear, O man greatly appreciated! Peace be to you, be strong now, be strong!” So when he spoke to me I was strengthened, and said, “Let my master speak, for you have strengthened me.”In those days I, Dani’ĕl, was mourning three weeks of days.And he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? And now I return to fight with the head of Persia. And when I have left, see, the head of Greece shall come.“But let me declare to you what is written in the Scripture of Truth, and there is not one strengthening himself with me concerning these, except Miḵa’ĕl your head.I did not eat desirable food, and meat and wine did not come into my mouth, and I did not anoint myself at all, till the completion of three weeks of days.
And everyone who competes controls himself in every way. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown, but we for an incorruptible crown.Therefore I run accordingly, not with uncertainty. Thus I fight, not as one who beats the air.But I treat my body severely and make it my slave, lest having proclaimed to others, I myself might be rejected.
O Elohim, You are my Ěl; I earnestly seek You; My being has thirsted for You; My flesh has longed for You In a dry and thirsty land without water.
And I prayed to יהוה my Elohim, and made confession, and said, “O יהוה, great and awesome Ěl, guarding the covenant and the loving-commitment to those who love Him, and to those who guard His commands.“We have sinned and did crookedness, and did wrong and rebelled, to turn aside from Your commands and from Your right-rulings.“And we have not listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your Name to our sovereigns, our heads, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.
And they said to Him, “Why do the taught ones of Yoḥanan fast often and make prayers, and likewise those of the Pharisees, but Yours eat and drink?”