¹⁶ David therefore begged God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night on the earth.

³¹ Then the king arose, and tore his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn.

⁹ He was without sight for three days, and neither ate nor drank.

⁹ Who knows whether God will not turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, so that we might not perish?"

¹⁶ Yahweh, in trouble have they visited you; they poured out a prayer [when] your chastening was on them.

¹² In that day did the Lord, Yahweh of Hosts, call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth:

¹⁰ When I wept and I fasted, That was to my reproach.

¹⁵ Call on me in the day of trouble. I will deliver you, and you will honor me."

¹² "Though wickedness is sweet in his mouth, Though he hide it under his tongue,

¹³ Though he spare it, and will not let it go, But keep it still within his mouth;

¹⁴ Yet his food in his bowels is turned. It is cobra venom within him.

¹⁶ Go, gather together all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast you for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast in like manner; and so will I go in to the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.

²⁷ It happened, when Ahab heard those words, that he tore his clothes, and put sackcloth on his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.

²² He said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who knows whether Yahweh will not be gracious to me, that the child may live?

¹² "Yet even now," says Yahweh, "turn to me with all your heart, And with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning."

¹³ Tear your heart, and not your garments, And turn to Yahweh, your God; For he is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, And relents from sending calamity.

¹⁴ Who knows? He may turn and relent, And leave a blessing behind him, Even a meal offering and a drink offering to Yahweh, your God.