Scripture frequently refers to individuals fasting and describes the different kinds of fast which may be undertaken.
Kinds of fasting
Abstaining from food and drink
Ezra 10:6 See also Daniel 9:3; Acts 23:12
Then Ezra withdrew from before the house of God and walked to the chamber of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. And while he stayed there, he ate no food and drank no water, because he was mourning over the unfaithfulness of the exiles.
Abstaining from food only
1 Samuel 1:7 See also Daniel 6:18
And this went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the LORD, her rival taunted her until she wept and would not eat.
The duration of fasting
One day: the normal fast period
Leviticus 23:32; Judges 20:26; 2 Samuel 1:12
Three days
Seven days
1 Samuel 31:13 parallel 1 Chronicles 10:12; 2 Samuel 12:16–20
Forty days
These 40-day fasts are all in unique circumstances and are not prescribed: Exodus 34:28; 1 Kings 19:8; Matthew 4:2 parallel Luke 4:2
Regular observances of fasting
Those prescribed by the Law
Leviticus 16:29–31 NIV footnote at verse 29. See also Leviticus 23:26–32; Numbers 29:7; Acts 27:9
This is to be a permanent statute for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month, you shall humble yourselves and not do any work — whether the native or the foreigner who resides among you — because on this day atonement will be made for you to cleanse you, and you will be clean from all your sins before the LORD. It is a Sabbath of complete rest for you, that you may humble yourselves; it is a permanent statute.
Those observed in Jewish tradition
Zechariah 8:19 See also Esther 9:30–31; Zechariah 7:2–5
“This is what the LORD of Hosts says: The fasts of the fourth, the fifth, the seventh, and the tenth months will become times of joy and gladness, cheerful feasts for the house of Judah. Therefore you are to love both truth and peace.”
Those observed by the Pharisees
Involuntary fasts
Those imposed by decree
2 Chronicles 20:3 See also 1SA 14:241KI 1 Samuel 13:8–9, 1 Kings 13:16 1 Kings 21:9; Jeremiah 36:9
Jehoshaphat was alarmed and set his face to seek the LORD. And he proclaimed a fast throughout Judah.
Those imposed by circumstances
Acts 27:33; 2 Corinthians 6:5, 2 Corinthians 11:27
Voluntary fasts
Nehemiah 1:4 See also Luke 2:37
When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven.
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.