it happened on the third day, that behold, a man came out of the camp from Sha'ul, with his clothes torn, and dirt on his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance.
On the three and twentieth day of the seventh month he sent the people away to their tents, joyful and glad of heart for the goodness that the LORD had shown to David, and to Shlomo, and to Yisra'el his people.
Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek of him a straight way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.
Ezra the Kohen brought the law before the assembly, both men and women, and all who could hear with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month.
*Go, gather together all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day. I and my maidens will also fast the same way. Then I will go in to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.*
In every province, wherever the king's mitzvah and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
When they lifted up their eyes from a distance, and didn't recognize him, they raised their voices, and wept; and they each tore his robe, and sprinkled dust on their heads toward the sky.
*'So on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruits of the land, you shall keep the feast of the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a solemn rest, and on the eighth day shall be a solemn rest.
Yehoshua tore his clothes, and fell to the dirt on his face before the ark of the LORD until the evening, he and the elders of Yisra'el; and they put dust on their heads.
Then all the children of Yisra'el, and all the people, went up, and came to Beit-El, and wept, and sat there before the LORD, and fasted that day until even; and they offered burnt offerings and shalom offerings before the LORD.
They gathered together to Mitzpah, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, *We have sinned against the LORD.* Shemu'el judged the children of Yisra'el in Mitzpah.