### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **tsôwm**, represented by `{{H6685}}`, defines the act of a **fast** or **fasting**. It appears 26 times across 22 unique verses in the Bible. This term signifies a deliberate abstention from food, typically as an expression of mourning, repentance, or intense spiritual focus when seeking God.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In biblical narratives, `{{H6685}}` is frequently a communal practice initiated in times of crisis or repentance. Leaders would **proclaim** a fast, as Jehoshaphat did for all Judah [[2 Chronicles 20:3]] and as Ezra did at the river of Ahava to seek a right way from God [[Ezra 8:21]]. The people of Nineveh also proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth in response to God's message [[Jonah 3:5]]. The practice is closely associated with humbling oneself, often described as afflicting one's soul (`{{H5315}}`) ([[Psalms 35:13]], [[Isaiah 58:5]]). Fasting is also presented as a personal act of deep supplication, as when David fasted while pleading with God for his child [[2 Samuel 12:16]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words illuminate the context and purpose of a fast:
* `{{H6031}}` **ʻânâh** (to afflict self): This describes the internal posture of fasting. It is an act to "afflict ourselves before our God" [[Ezra 8:21]] or for a person to "afflict his soul" [[Isaiah 58:5]].
* `{{H8242}}` **saq** (sackcloth): A common outward symbol of mourning that accompanies fasting. Daniel sought God with fasting and "sackcloth" [[Daniel 9:3]], and the Jews in Esther's time lay in "sackcloth and ashes" [[Esther 4:3]].
* `{{H1065}}` **Bᵉkîy** (a weeping): This emotional expression is often paired with fasting as a sign of deep sorrow or repentance. The Lord calls his people to turn to him with "fasting, and with weeping" [[Joel 2:12]].
* `{{H7121}}` **qârâʼ** (to call out to, proclaim): This verb is often used to initiate a public fast. Leaders would "proclaim a fast" to gather the people for a specific purpose ([[1 Kings 21:12]], [[Jeremiah 36:9]]).
* `{{H6116}}` **ʻătsârâh** (solemn assembly): A fast was often the centerpiece of a larger sacred gathering, as seen in the command to "sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly" ([[Joel 1:14]], [[Joel 2:15]]).
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of `{{H6685}}` is centered on the heart's attitude toward God.
* **Humility and Repentance:** Fasting is a primary physical expression of humility and turning back to God. Daniel combines fasting with prayer, supplications, sackcloth, and ashes to seek the Lord [[Daniel 9:3]].
* **Intense Supplication:** It is used during times of earnest seeking or intercession. David's fasting was tied directly to his beseeching God for his son's life [[2 Samuel 12:16]], and the psalmist humbled his soul with fasting while praying [[Psalms 35:13]].
* **Mourning and Grief:** The act of fasting is an outward sign of inner grief. Following the king's decree, the Jews engaged in "great mourning... and fasting, and weeping, and wailing" [[Esther 4:3]].
* **True vs. Ritualistic Devotion:** The book of Isaiah profoundly critiques fasting that is merely an external ritual. God rejects a fast that consists only of outward shows like bowing one's head "as a bulrush" (`{{H100}}`), asking instead for a fast that results in justice, such as loosing "the bands of wickedness" [[Isaiah 58:5-6]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H6685}}` represents far more than the simple act of abstaining from food. It is a deeply spiritual practice in the Old Testament, embodying repentance, profound grief, and the earnest pursuit of God. It functions as both a personal and communal act of humility, but its ultimate value is determined not by the physical denial itself, but by the genuine transformation of the heart and the pursuit of righteousness that it is meant to represent.
TRV