Bible Dictionaries
Rend, Tear

Vine's Expository Dictionary of OT Words

Search for…

Enter query below:

or

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W Y

Prev Entry
Remove, Depart

Next Entry
Repent

Resource Toolbox

Print Article

Additional Links

Dictionaries
• Rend, Tear
Lexicons
• ܒ݁ܥܰܩ
• διαρήγνυμι , διαρήσσω , διαρρήγνυμι
• ῥάσσω , ῥήγνυμι , ῥήσσω
• σπαράσσω
•   (only first 3 shown)
• בָּקַע
• פָּרַם
• פָּרַק
•   (only first 3 shown)

Qâra‛ (קָרַע, Strong's #7167), “to rend, tear, tear away.” This word is common to both ancient and modern Hebrew. Used some 63 times in the Hebrew Old Testament, it is found for the first time in Gen. 37:29: “… He rent his clothes.” In the expression, “to tear one’s clothes,” qâra‛ is used 39 times. Usually such “rending” of clothes is an expression of grief (Gen. 37:34; 44:13; 2 Sam. 13:19).

Sometimes the word is used in a symbolic act, such as Ahijah’s “tearing” a new garment into twelve pieces and sending them to the twelve tribes as a symbol of coming division (1 Kings 11:30). Samuel used qâra‛ figuratively when he said to Saul: “The Lord hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day …” (1 Sam. 15:28). Wild animals “rend” or “tear” their prey (Hos. 13:8).