Topical Encyclopedia
In biblical terms, the concept of "shred" is not directly mentioned as a specific term in the Scriptures. However, the idea of tearing or shredding can be found in various contexts throughout the Bible, often symbolizing destruction, judgment, or the act of rending garments as a sign of mourning or repentance.
Rending Garments:One of the most notable uses of tearing or shredding in the Bible is the act of rending garments. This was a common practice in ancient Israel as a physical expression of grief, distress, or repentance. For instance, when Jacob believed that his son Joseph had been killed, he tore his clothes in mourning (
Genesis 37:34: "Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth around his waist, and mourned for his son many days."). Similarly, when King Hezekiah heard the blasphemous words of the Assyrian king, he tore his clothes and went into the house of the Lord (
2 Kings 19:1: "When King Hezekiah heard this, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD.").
Symbol of Judgment:The act of tearing can also symbolize divine judgment. In
1 Kings 11:30-31, the prophet Ahijah tore his new cloak into twelve pieces to signify the division of Solomon's kingdom: "And Ahijah took hold of the new cloak he was wearing, tore it into twelve pieces, and said to Jeroboam, 'Take ten pieces, for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: "Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and give you ten tribes."'"
Destruction and Ruin:The imagery of shredding or tearing is also used to describe destruction and ruin. In the prophetic literature, the tearing of nations or cities often symbolizes their impending doom. For example, in
Hosea 13:8, God describes His judgment against Israel using the metaphor of a bear robbed of her cubs: "Like a bear robbed of her cubs, I will attack them and tear them open. I will devour them like a lion, and rip them apart like a wild beast."
Spiritual Significance:In a spiritual sense, the tearing of the temple veil at the moment of Jesus' death is a profound event recorded in the Gospels. This act signifies the removal of the barrier between God and humanity, granting believers direct access to the presence of God.
Matthew 27:51 states, "At that moment the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split."
Repentance and Humility:The tearing of garments as a sign of repentance is echoed in the call for a contrite heart.
Joel 2:13 urges, "So rend your hearts and not your garments, and return to the LORD your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion—and He relents from sending disaster." This verse emphasizes the importance of genuine repentance over mere outward expressions.
In summary, while the specific term "shred" is not used in the Bible, the concept of tearing or shredding is rich with symbolic meaning, representing mourning, judgment, destruction, and spiritual transformation.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) A long, narrow piece cut or torn off; a strip.
2. (n.) In general, a fragment; a piece; a particle.
3. (imp. & p. p.) of Shred.
4. (n.) To cut or tear into small pieces, particularly narrow and long pieces, as of cloth or leather.
5. (n.) To lop; to prune; to trim.
Strong's Hebrew
6398. palach -- to cleave... bring forth, cleave, cut,
shred, strike through. A primitive root; to slice, ie
Break open or pierce -- bring forth, cleave, cut,
shred, strike through.
...2636. chaspas -- scale-like
... round thing. Reduplicated from an unused root meaning apparently to peel; ashred
or scale -- round thing. 2635, 2636. chaspas. 2637 . Strong's Numbers.
Library
Biogenesis
... day." [34] And even whilst confessing that he wishes the evidence were the other
way, Tyndall is compelled to say, "I affirm that noshred of trustworthy...
The Second Word from the Cross
... Again and again one has to remark how, in these last scenes, everyshred of action
and every random word aimed at Jesus for the purpose of injuring and...
The Mustard-Seed, and the Leaven.
... from his path, nor halted in his progress, until by the power of his mid-day light
he had utterly driven those clouds away, so that not ashred of their...
On the Feast of St Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist
... which means, that such men do their work as of themselves, adding thereto, and finding
pleasure therein; though all good is of God, and not ashred belongs to...
May 8. "Except a Corn of Wheat Fall into the Ground and Die" (John...
... We doubt not the months that have been passing have shown us all many a place where
there ought to be a grave, and many a lingeringshred of the natural and...
The Adventures of Saint Patrick of Ireland.
... Terence stood by to watch the contest, not to deprive his loved master of ashred
of glory, till he saw the crocodile opening his monstrous jaws to snap at his...
The Humanheartedness of Jesus.
... He had come to be the Saviour of all who would believe and follow him. Therefore
he was interested in every merest fragment orshred of life....
The First Epistle General of Peter
... There is not ashred of evidence for believing that the semi-Christian Jews
who lived in Palestine in the 2nd century represented St....
The Mourner's Creed.
... Sure a time will come For storms to try you, and strong blasts to rend Your painted
sails, andshred your gold like chaff O'er the wild wave....
The Fainting Warrior
... of corruption. It is not simply ashred, a remnant"the cloth of the old
garment, but the whole of it is there still. True, it...
Thesaurus
Shred (1 Occurrence)... 2. (n.) In general, a fragment; a piece; a particle. 3. (imp. & pp) of
Shred.
... 5.
(n.) To lop; to prune; to trim. Multi-Version Concordance
Shred (1 Occurrence).
...Ossifrage (2 Occurrences)
... It took its name from the fact that after smaller vultures and eagles had stripped
a carcass to the lastshred of muscle, the lammergeier then carried the...
Gourds (4 Occurrences)
... 2 Kings 4:39 One went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine,
and gathered of it wild gourds his lap full, and came andshred them into the...
Gourd (4 Occurrences)
... There is, however, another species, called the Cucumis prophetarum, from the idea
that it afforded the gourd which "the sons of the prophets"shred by mistake...
Rag
... 2. (n.) A piece of cloth torn off; a tattered piece of cloth; ashred; a tatter;
a fragment. 3. (n.) Hence, mean or tattered attire; worn-out dress....
Ribbon (7 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) A narrow strip orshred; as, a steel or magnesium ribbon; sails torn
to ribbons. 3. (n.) Same as Rib-band. 4. (n.) Driving reins....
Potsherd (6 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary A "shred", ie, anything severed, as a fragment of earthenware
(Job 2:8; Proverbs 26:23; Isaiah 45:9). Noah Webster's Dictionary....
Pottage (7 Occurrences)
... Kings 4:39 And one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine,
and gathered thereof wild gourds his lap full, and came andshred them into...
Colocynths (3 Occurrences)
... 39 Then one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and
gathered from it his lap full of wild colocynths, and came andshred them into...
Clout
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. CLOUT. klout: As substantive (ha-cechabhoth) a
patch or piece of cloth, leather, or the like, a rag, ashred, or fragment....
Resources
The Jesus Papers - what are they? | GotQuestions.orgShred: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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