was situated in the far north, and in Babylonian inscriptions is described as
a mountain called Im-Kharasak, “the mighty mountain of Bel, whose head
reaches heaven, whose root is the holy deep.” In their geography they are
said to have identified it with mount El-wend, near Ecbatana.
- MOUNT OF THE VALLEY (Joshua 13:19), a district in the east of
Jordan, in the territory of Reuben. The “valley” here was probably the
Ghor or valley of the Jordan, and hence the “mount” would be the hilly
region in the north end of the Dead Sea. (See ZARETH-SHAHAR.) - MOURN Frequent references are found in Scripture to, (1.) Mourning for
the dead. Abraham mourned for Sarah (Genesis 23:2); Jacob for Joseph
(37:34, 35); the Egyptians for Jacob (50:3-10); Israel for Aaron (Numbers
20:29), for Moses (Deuteronomy 34:8), and for Samuel (1 Samuel 25:1);
David for Abner (2 Samuel 3:31, 35); Mary and Martha for Lazarus (John
11); devout men for Stephen (Acts 8:2), etc.
(2.) For calamities, Job (1:20, 21; 2:8); Israel (Exodus 33:4); the Ninevites
(Jonah 3:5); Israel, when defeated by Benjamin (Judges 20:26), etc.
(3.) Penitential mourning, by the Israelites on the day of atonement
(Leviticus 23:27; Acts 27:9); under Samuel’s ministry (1 Samuel 7:6);
predicted in Zechariah (Zechariah 12:10, 11); in many of the psalms (51,
etc.).
Mourning was expressed, (1) by weeping (Genesis 35:8, marg.; Luke 7:38,
etc.); (2) by loud lamentation (Ruth 1:9; 1 Samuel 6:19; 2 Samuel 3:31); (3)
by the disfigurement of the person, as rending the clothes (Genesis 37:29,
34; Matthew 26:65), wearing sackcloth (Genesis 37:34; Psalm 35:13),
sprinkling dust or ashes on the person (2 Samuel 13:19; Jeremiah 6:26; Job
2:12), shaving the head and plucking out the hair of the head or beard
(Leviticus 10:6; Job 1:20), neglect of the person or the removal of
ornaments (Exodus 33:4; Deuteronomy 21:12, 13; 2 Samuel 14:2; 19:24;
Matthew 6:16, 17), fasting (2 Samuel 1:12), covering the upper lip
(Leviticus 13:45; Micah 3:7), cutting the flesh (Jeremiah 16:6, 7), and
sitting in silence (Judges 20:26; 2 Samuel 12:16; 13:31; Job 1:20).
In the later times we find a class of mourners who could be hired to give by
their loud lamentation the external tokens of sorrow (2 Chronicles 35:25;
Jeremiah 9:17; Matthew 9:23).