I. Hebrew
The word commonly used in Hebrew to' express the idea of fasting is a common
Semitic possession, is used by Arameans; Arabs,
and Ethiopians, and appears in both the early and
the late
Old Testament writings
(II Sam. xii. 16;
Dan. ix. 3):
In Isa. Iviii. 3 " fasting " is in parallelism with " afflict the soul," a phrase often used
to express the idea (Lev.
8vi.
29, 31;
Num. xxix. 7).
The occasions of fasting among the Hebrews appear to have been three: (1) As a preparation for
some religious duty. Thus Moses remained fasting
on Sinai for forty
days and nights when about to
receive the tables of the decalogue
(Ex. xxxiv. 28),
and Daniel fasted for a considerable time before
receiving his revelation
(Dan. ix. 3, x. 2,
cf. T.
Nöldeke,
Geschichte den Qorans,
Göttingen, 1860).
(2) As an accompaniment or manifestation of
mourning. So the Jabeah-Gileadites and David
mourned Saul
(I Sam. xxxi. 13,
II Sam. i. 12).
The fact that David did not mourn after the death
of his child by Bathsheba caused surprise in his
attendants, and this suggests the cuatomariness
of fasting after
a death. There was doubtless some
religious significance in the act (cf. Wellhausen,
Heidentum, p.
182). (3) As an act of self-abnegation and humility to conciliate deity
(I Kings xxi. 28;
Jer. xiv. 12).
Specific cases are: David, when
he feared the death of his child
(II Sam. xii. 16);
Ahab, to avert the disaster predicted by Elijah
(I Kings xxi. 27-29);
Nehemiah, over the sad condition of Jerusalem
(Neh. i. 4);
the whole people
fasted in times of peril or misfortune
(II Chron. xx. 3;
Jer. xxxvi. 9;
I Macc. iii. 47).
In postexilic
times the days on which disasters had occurred were
celebrated as fast-days
(Zech. vii. 3),
and it became a manifestation
of consciousness of sin
(Neh. ix. 1;
cf.
I Kings xxi. 9).
The fast was also employed to secure a happy issue out of dangerous
circumstances
(I Sam. xiv. 24;
Esther iv. 16).
By
the Law only one fast was ordained, that of the
Day of Atonement
(Lev. xvi. 29,
cf. verse 21; see
Atonement, Day of ).
Accompaniments of the
fast were ceremonies like the rending of clothing
and placing of ashes on the head. The usual
period of abstention was
one day
(I Sam. xxiv. 14),
though it might be three days
(Esther iv. 16)
or
during seven days from morning till evening
(I Sam. xxxi. 13).
In postexilic times the tendency
was to multiply fasts, in face of
the clear Pronouncements of the prophets (cf. Isa. lviii. and
Zech. vii. 5-6).
See
Synagogue.
(F. Burl.)
