Quotes About Grief

When Uriahís wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him.

David pleaded with God for the boy. He fasted and went into his house and spent the night lying in sackcloth on the ground.

The elders of his household stood beside him to help him up from the ground, but he was unwilling and would not eat anything with them.

On the seventh day the child died. But Davidís servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Look, while the child was alive, we spoke to him, and he would not listen to us. So how can we tell him the child is dead? He may even harm himself.”

When David saw that his servants were whispering to one another, he perceived that the child was dead. So he asked his servants, “Is the child dead?” “He is dead,” they replied.

“What is this you have done?” his servants asked. “While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but when he died, you got up and ate.”

But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.”

And Tamar put ashes on her head and tore her robe. And putting her hand on her head, she went away crying bitterly.

While they were on the way, a report reached David: “Absalom has struck down all the sons of the king; not one of them is left!”

Then the king stood up, tore his clothes, and lay down on the ground; and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn.

But Jonadab, the son of Davidís brother Shimeah, spoke up: “My lord must not think they have killed all the sons of the king, for only Amnon is dead. In fact, Absalom has planned this since the day Amnon violated his sister Tamar.

So now, my lord the king, do not take to heart the report that all the sons of the king are dead. Only Amnon is dead.”

And as he finished speaking, the sons of the king came in, wailing loudly. Then the king and all his servants also wept very bitterly.

Now Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. But David mourned for his son every day.

After Absalom had fled and gone to Geshur, he stayed there three years.

And King David longed to go to Absalom, for he had been consoled over Amnonís death.

Now Joab son of Zeruiah perceived that the kingís heart longed for Absalom.

So Joab sent to Tekoa to bring a wise woman from there. He told her, “Please pretend to be a mourner; put on clothes for mourning and do not anoint yourself with oil. Act like a woman who has mourned for the dead a long time.

“What troubles you?” the king asked her. “Indeed,” she said, “I am a widow, for my husband is dead.

Now the whole clan has risen up against your maidservant and said, ëHand over the one who struck down his brother, that we may put him to death for the life of the brother whom he killed. Then we will cut off the heir as well!í So they would extinguish my one remaining ember by not preserving my husbandís name or posterity on the earth.”

Everyone in the countryside was weeping loudly as all the people passed by. And as the king crossed the Kidron Valley, all the people also passed toward the way of the wilderness.

But David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went up. His head was covered, and he was walking barefoot. And all the people with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they went.

When David came to the summit, where he used to worship God, Hushai the Archite was there to meet him with his robe torn and dust on his head.

But Joab replied, “You are not the man to take good news today. You may do it another day, but you must not do so today, because the kingís son is dead.”