ABSTRACT
In the ritual of the First Temple, fasting was a permanent feature; in addition, the death of a national leader (such as King Saul) could initiate a day-long fast (2 Sam. 12) or even a weekly fast (1 Sam. 31:13). The purpose of such fasting was manifold. Its most widely attested function was to avert or terminate calamities. Fasting also served as a means of obtaining divine forgiveness.
