The only other mention of a periodical fast in the Old Testament is in Zechariah 7:1-7; 8:19 , from which it appears that during their captivity the Jews observed four annual fasts.
There was in addition to these the fast appointed by (Esther 4:16 ).
Public national fasts on account of sin or to supplicate divine favour were sometimes held.
There were also local fasts.
There are many instances of private occasional fasting (1 Samuel 1:7 : 20:34; 2 Samuel 3:35; 12:16; 1 Kings 21:27; Ezra 10:6; Nehemiah 1:4; Daniel 10:2,3 ). Moses fasted forty days (Exodus 24:18; 34:28 ), and so also did Elijah (1 Kings 19:8 ). Our Lord fasted forty days in the wilderness (Matthew 4:2 ).
In the lapse of time the practice of fasting was lamentably abused (Isaiah 58:4; Jeremiah 14:12; Zechariah 7:5 ). Our Lord rebuked the Pharisees for their hypocritical pretences in fasting (Matthew 6:16 ). He himself appointed no fast. The early Christians, however, observed the ordinary fasts according to the law of their fathers (Acts 13:3; 14:23; 2 co 6:5 ).