Now on the twenty-fourthdayof thismonththe sonsof Israelassembledwith fasting,in sackclothand with dirtupon them.
On the thirdday,behold,a mancameout of the campfrom Saul,with his clothestornand duston his head.And it cameabout when he cameto Davidthat he fellto the groundand prostratedhimself.
Jehoshaphatwas afraidand turnedhis attentionto seekthe LORD,and proclaimeda fastthroughoutallJudah.
Then on the twenty-thirddayof the seventhmonthhe sentthe peopleto their tents,rejoicingand happyof heartbecauseof the goodnessthat the LORDhad shownto Davidand to Solomonand to His peopleIsrael.
Then I proclaimeda fastthereat the riverof Ahava,that we might humbleourselves beforeour Godto seekfrom Him a safejourneyfor us, our littleones,and allour possessions.
So we fastedand soughtour Godconcerningthis[matter], and He listenedto our entreaty.
Then Ezrathe priestbroughtthe lawbeforethe assemblyof men,womenand allwho [could] listenwith understanding,on the firstdayof the seventhmonth.
"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."
In eachand everyprovincewherethe commandand decreeof the kingcame,there was greatmourningamong the Jews,with fasting,weepingand wailing;and manylayon sackclothand ashes.
When they liftedup their eyesat a distanceand did not recognizehim, they raisedtheir voicesand wept.And eachof them torehis robeand they threwdustovertheir headstoward the sky.
Therefore in that daythe LordGODof hostscalled[you] to weeping,to wailing,To shavingthe headand to wearingsackcloth.
"Yet evennow,"declaresthe LORD,"Returnto Me with allyour heart,And with fasting,weepingand mourning;
"Speakto the sonsof Israel,saying,On the fifteenthof thisseventhmonthis the Feastof Boothsfor sevendaysto the LORD.
On exactlythe fifteenthdayof the seventhmonth,when you have gatheredin the cropsof the land,you shall celebratethe feastof the LORDfor sevendays,with a reston the firstdayand a reston the eighthday.
Then Joshuatorehis clothesand fellto the earthon his facebeforethe arkof the LORDuntilthe evening,[both] he and the eldersof Israel;and they putduston their heads.
"And I will grant[authority] to my twowitnesses,and they will prophesyfor twelvehundredand sixtydays,clothedin sackcloth."
Then allthe sonsof Israeland allthe peoplewentup and cameto Betheland wept;thus they remainedtherebeforethe LORDand fastedthat dayuntilevening.And they offeredburntofferingsand peaceofferingsbeforethe LORD.
Now a manof Benjaminranfrom the battlelineand cameto Shilohthe samedaywith his clothestornand duston his head.
They gatheredto Mizpah,and drewwaterand pouredit out beforethe LORD,and fastedon that dayand saidthere,"We have sinnedagainst the LORD."And Samueljudgedthe sonsof Israelat Mizpah.
