His servantssaidto him, "Beholdnow,we have heardthat the kingsof the houseof Israelare mercifulkings,pleaselet us putsackclothon our loinsand ropeson our heads,and goout to the kingof Israel;perhapshe will saveyour life."
So Jacobtorehis clothes,and putsackclothon his loinsand mournedfor his sonmanydays.
So Joabsentto Tekoaand broughta wisewomanfrom thereand saidto her, "Pleasepretendto be a mourner,and puton mourninggarmentsnow,and do not anointyourself with oil,but be like a womanwho has been mourningfor the deadmanydays;
Then Davidsaidto Joaband to allthe peoplewhowere with him, "Tearyour clothesand girdon sackclothand lamentbeforeAbner."And KingDavidwalkedbehindthe bier.
Now the servantsof the kingof Aramsaidto him, "Their godsare godsof the mountains,thereforethey were strongerthanwe; but ratherlet us fightagainstthem in the plain,[and] surelywe will be strongerthanthey.
So they girdedsackclothon their loinsand [put] ropeson their heads,and cameto the kingof Israeland said,"Your servantBen-hadadsays,'Pleaselet me live.'"And he said,"Is he stillalive?He is my brother."
Then his servantscamenearand spoketo him and said,"My father,had the prophettoldyou [to do some] greatthing,would you not have done[it]? Howmuchmore[then], whenhe saysto you, 'Wash,and be clean'?"
"Ifwe say,'We will enterthe city,'then the famineis in the cityand we will diethere;and ifwe sithere,we diealso. Nowtherefore come,and let us gooverto the campof the Arameans.Ifthey spareus, we will live;and ifthey killus, we will but die."
"Go,assembleallthe Jewswho are foundin Susa,and fastfor me; do not eator drinkfor threedays,nightor day.I and my maidensalsowill fastin the sameway.And thusI will goin to the king,whichis not according to the law;and ifI perish,I perish."
Satanansweredthe LORDand said,"Skinfor skin!Yes, allthat a manhas he will givefor his life.
When I madesackclothmy clothing,I becamea bywordto them.
Loyaltyand truthpreservethe king,And he upholdshis throneby righteousness.
A thronewill even be establishedin lovingkindness,And a judgewill siton it in faithfulnessin the tentof David;Moreover, he will seekjusticeAnd be promptin righteousness.
Therefore in that daythe LordGODof hostscalled[you] to weeping,to wailing,To shavingthe headand to wearingsackcloth.
And when KingHezekiahheard[it], he torehis clothes,coveredhimself with sackclothand enteredthe houseof the LORD.
"Do not fearthosewho killthe bodybut are unableto killthe soul;but ratherfearHim who is ableto destroybothsouland bodyin hell.
"And I will grant[authority] to my twowitnesses,and they will prophesyfor twelvehundredand sixtydays,clothedin sackcloth."
