³¹ His officials said to him, “Look, we have heard that the kings of Israel are merciful.^(A) Let us go to the king of Israel with sackcloth^(B) around our waists and ropes around our heads. Perhaps he will spare your life.”

³¹ Then David said to Joab and all the people with him, “Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth^(A) and walk in mourning^(B) in front of Abner.” King David himself walked behind the bier.

³⁴ Then Jacob tore his clothes,^(A) put on sackcloth^(B) and mourned for his son many days.^(C)

²³ Meanwhile, the officials of the king of Aram advised him, “Their gods are gods^(A) of the hills. That is why they were too strong for us. But if we fight them on the plains, surely we will be stronger than they.

³ And I will appoint my two witnesses,^(A) and they will prophesy for 1,260 days,^(B) clothed in sackcloth.”^(C)

⁷ In him we have redemption^(A) through his blood,^(B) the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches^(C) of God’s grace ⁸ that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding,

²⁸ Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One^(A) who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

⁵ The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.^(A)

⁶ When Jonah’s warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust.^(B)

Jerusalem’s Deliverance Foretold^(A)

37 When King Hezekiah heard this, he tore his clothes^(B) and put on sackcloth^(C) and went into the temple^(D) of the Lord.