Topical Encyclopedia
Definition and Usage:The term "rend" in the Bible typically refers to the act of tearing or splitting something apart. It is often used in a physical sense, such as tearing garments, but it also carries a significant symbolic and spiritual meaning. The act of rending is frequently associated with expressions of grief, repentance, or divine judgment.
Old Testament Context:In the Old Testament, rending garments was a common expression of deep sorrow, mourning, or repentance. For example, when Jacob believed that his son Joseph had been killed, he "tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourned for his son many days" (
Genesis 37:34). Similarly, when King Hezekiah heard the blasphemous words of the Assyrian king, he "tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD" (
2 Kings 19:1).
The prophets often used the imagery of rending to call the people of Israel to genuine repentance. Joel exhorts the people, "Rend your hearts and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion" (
Joel 2:13). This highlights the importance of inner transformation over mere external displays of piety.
New Testament Context:In the New Testament, the concept of rending is less frequent but still significant. At the crucifixion of Jesus, the veil of the temple was "torn in two from top to bottom" (
Matthew 27:51). This event symbolizes the removal of the barrier between God and humanity, granting believers direct access to God through the sacrifice of Christ.
Symbolic and Spiritual Significance:Rending in the Bible often signifies a profound emotional or spiritual state. It is an outward manifestation of an inward reality, whether it be grief, repentance, or divine intervention. The act of rending one's garments or heart is a call to sincerity and authenticity in one's relationship with God. It serves as a reminder that God desires true repentance and a contrite heart over mere ritualistic expressions.
Related Concepts:·
Repentance: The act of rending is closely associated with repentance, as seen in the call to "rend your hearts" in
Joel 2:13. True repentance involves a heartfelt turning away from sin and a return to God.
·
Mourning: Rending garments is a traditional expression of mourning, as seen in the actions of Jacob and Hezekiah. It reflects the depth of sorrow and loss experienced by individuals.
·
Divine Judgment: The tearing of the temple veil at Jesus' death signifies the fulfillment of divine judgment and the establishment of a new covenant through Christ.
Conclusion:The biblical concept of rending serves as a powerful metaphor for the inner workings of the heart and the transformative power of genuine repentance and faith. It underscores the importance of sincerity in one's relationship with God and the profound impact of Christ's redemptive work.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
v. t.) To separate into parts with force or sudden violence; to tear asunder; to split; to burst; as, powder rends a rock in blasting; lightning rends an oak.
2. (v. t.) To part or tear off forcibly; to take away by force.
3. (v. i.) To be rent or torn; to become parted; to separate; to split.
Greek
4977. schizo -- to cleave, split... to cleave, split. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: schizo Phonetic Spelling:
(skhid'-zo) Short Definition: I
rend, divide asunder Definition: I
rend...4486. rhegnumi -- to break apart, by ext. to throw down
... down. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: rhegnumi Phonetic Spelling:
(hrayg'-noo-mee) Short Definition: I break, break forth Definition: Irend, break...
1284. diarresso -- to tear asunder
... Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: diarresso Phonetic Spelling: (dee-ar-hrayce'-
so) Short Definition: I tear asunder Definition: I tear asunder, burst,rend...
4048. periregnumi -- to tear off all around
... tear off completely. From peri and rhegnumi; to tear all around, ie Completely
away --rend off. see GREEK peri. see GREEK rhegnumi....
673. apochorizo -- to separate, part asunder
... to depart, to separate. From apo and chorizo; torend apart; reflexively, to
separate -- depart (asunder). see GREEK apo. see GREEK chorizo....
4682. sparasso -- to mangle, convulse
... from spairo (to grasp; apparently strengthened from spao through the idea of spasmodic
contraction); to mangle, ie Convluse with epilepsy --rend, tear....
4952. susparasso -- to convulse completely
... to convulse. From sun and sparasso; torend completely, ie (by analogy) to convulse
violently -- throw down. see GREEK sun. see GREEK sparasso....
2608. katagnumi -- to break in pieces
... break. From kata and the base of rhegnumi; torend in pieces, ie Crack apart --
break. see GREEK kata. see GREEK rhegnumi. (kateagosin) -- 1 Occurrence....
Strong's Hebrew
2963. taraph -- to tear,rend, pluck... 2962, 2963. taraph. 2964 . to tear,
rend, pluck. Transliteration: taraph Phonetic
Spelling: (taw-raf') Short Definition: tear. Word Origin a prim.
...6533. param -- to tear orrend (a garment)
... param. 6534 . to tear orrend (a garment). Transliteration: param Phonetic Spelling:
(paw-ram') Short Definition: tear....rend. A primitive root; to tear --rend...
7167. qara -- to tear
... root Definition to tear NASB Word Usage cut (2), enlarge (1),rend (3), slandered
(1), split apart (2), surely tear (1), tear (7), tear apart (1), tear away (1...
8156. shasa -- to divide, cleave
... cleave, be cloven footed,rend, stay. A primitive root; to split or tear; figuratively,
to upbraid -- cleave, (be) cloven ((footed)),rend, stay. 8155, 8156....
1234. baqa -- to cleave, break open or through
... A primitive root; to cleave; generally, torend, break, rip or open -- make a breach,
break forth (into, out, in pieces, through, up), be ready to burst...
6561. paraq -- to tear apart or away
... break off, deliver, redeem,rend in pieces, tear in pieces. A primitive root;
to break off or crunch; figuratively, to deliver -- break...
6475. patsah -- to part, open
... deliver, gape, open, rid, utter. A primitive root; torend, ie Open (especially
the mouth) -- deliver, gape, open, rid, utter. 6474, 6475. patsah. 6476 ....
6480. patsam -- to split open
... root Definition to split open NASB Word Usage split it open (1). break. A primitive
root; torend (by earthquake) -- break. 6479, 6480. patsam. 6481 ....
6426. palats -- to shudder
... tremble. A primitive root; properly, perhaps torend, ie (by implication) to quiver --
tremble. 6425, 6426. palats. 6427 . Strong's Numbers.
Library
Fifth Sunday after Epiphany Oh that Thou WouldstRend the Heavens...
... Fifth Sunday After Epiphany Oh that Thou wouldstrend the heavens, that Thou wouldst
come down, that the mountains might flow down at Thy presence . . ....
Chapter xx.
... Give not that which is holy to the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine,
lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again andrend you." For...
The Fall of Solomon
... Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept My covenant and
My statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surelyrend the kingdom...
Archaisms in the Hymns
... And, finally, there is the use of rent' forrend': My stony heart Thy voice
shall rent,. Thou wilt, I trust, the veil remove. [45]....
Solomon's Repentance
... message: "Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept My covenant
and My statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surelyrend the kingdom...
John Chapter xix. 23, 24
... They said therefore among themselves, Let us notrend it, but cast lots for it,
whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They...
He Explains what it Means to Confess, and what it Means to...
... "Every one who dissolves Jesus is not of God." But to dissolve Him is to try to
rend asunder what is united in Jesus; and to sever what is but one and...
St. Thomas Also Confessed the Same Faith as Peter after the Lord's...
... lesson. He had never learnt to separate, as you do, the Lord from His body:
and had no idea how torend God asunder from Himself....
An Exhortation to the People Respecting Fortitude and Patience...
... For another Prophet admonishes of this, when he says, "Rend your hearts and not
your garments." [1192] Let us thenrend our hearts, that if any evil plant, any...
Before Annas and the Court of Caiaphas
... sentence. A high priest was not torend his garments.... death. Under no
circumstances, on no occasion, was the priest torend his robe....
Thesaurus
Rend (35 Occurrences)... Multi-Version Concordance
Rend (35 Occurrences).
... Genesis 44:13 and they
rend their
garments, and each ladeth his ass, and they turn back to the city. (YLT).
...Tear (97 Occurrences)
... 4. (vt) To separate by violence; to pull apart by force; torend; to lacerate;
as, to tear cloth; to tear a garment; to tear the skin or flesh....
Rent (76 Occurrences)
... 1. (imp. & pp) ofRend. 2. (vi) To rant. 3. (v.) imp. & pp ofRend. 4. (n.) An opening
made by rending; a break or breach made by force; a tear....
Blast (28 Occurrences)
... 6. (n.) The act of rending, or attempting torend, heavy masses of rock, earth,
etc., by the explosion of gunpowder, dynamite, etc.; also, the charge used for...
Asunder (37 Occurrences)
... It is found in combination with break (twice), burst, cleave (twice), depart, cut
(six times), divide (three times), drive, part, pluck, put (twice),rend, saw...
Affirmation (335 Occurrences)
... in thy hearing that which I have spoken against this place, and against its inhabitants,
to be for a desolation, and for a reviling, and dostrend thy garments...
Uncover (35 Occurrences)
... Leviticus 10:6 And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his
sons, Uncover not your heads, neitherrend your clothes; lest ye die, and lest...
Garments (232 Occurrences)
... YLT NAS RSV). Genesis 44:13 and theyrend their garments, and each ladeth
his ass, and they turn back to the city. (YLT). Genesis 45...
Untempered (5 Occurrences)
... it with untempered morter, that it shall fall: there shall be an overflowing shower;
and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shallrend it....
Jerobo'am (92 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 11:31 And he said to Jeroboam: 'Take thee ten pieces; for thus saith the
LORD, the God of Israel: Behold, I willrend the kingdom out of the hand of...
Resources
What is the open heaven concept? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does it mean to be overrighteous and overwise (Ecclesiastes 7:16)? | GotQuestions.orgWhat did it mean to tear one's clothes in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgRend: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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