Rend
King James Dictionary [1]
REND, pret. and pp. rent. Eng. cranny, L. crena, Gr.
1. To separate any substance into parts with force or sudden violence to tear asunder to split as, powder rends a rock in blasting lightning rends an oak.
An empire from its old foundation rent.
I rend my tresses, and by breast I wound.
Neither rend your clothes, lest ye die. Leviticus 10 .
2. To separate or part with violence.
I will surely rend the kingdom from thee. 1 Kings 11 .
To rend the heart, in Scripture, to have bitter sorrow for sin. Joel 2 .
To rend the heavens, to appear in majesty. Isaiah 64 .
Rend differs somewhat from lacerate. We never say, to lacerate a rock or a kingdom, when we mean to express splitting or division. Lacerate is properly applicable to the tearing off of small pieces of a thing, as to lacerate the body with a whip or scourge or to the tearing of the flesh or other thing without entire separation.
Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types [2]
Ecclesiastes 3:7 (b) The Lord is reminding us that it is not necessary to continue in building something that is not profitable. Sometimes we start on a project which we think will be useful, and then find out we are wasting our time. We should then discontinue that project.
Joel 2:13 (a) By this word we are called upon to feel a deep grief over sin and evil.
Matthew 7:6 (a) If we reveal precious things of GOD to the ungodly scoffer, he may use it to injure us in many ways. We saw this exemplified in the fact that we helped China in her distress; we also helped Japan at the time of the earthquake; and we helped Russia in the time of the war. We received back bullets, persecution of American citizens, expulsion of American missionaries, and a closed frontier to our travelers. This is a perfect example of the meaning of this passage.
Webster's Dictionary [3]
(1): ( v. i.) To be rent or torn; to become parted; to separate; to split.
(2): ( 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.
(3): ( v. t.) To part or tear off forcibly; to take away by force.
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature [4]
is the translation of.several Heb. and Gr. words in the Bible. The following only are of special significance.
1. The rending ( קָרִע , Ῥηγνυμι ) of one's clothes, is an expression frequently used in Scripture as the token of the highest grief. Reuben, to denote his sorrow for Joseph, rent his clothes ( Genesis 37:29); Jacob did the like ( Genesis 37:34), and Ezra, to express the concern and uneasiness of his mind, and the apprehensions he entertained of the divine displeasure on account of the people's unlawful marriages, is said to have rent his garments and mantle ( Ezra 9:3), that is, both his inner and upper garment. This action was also an expression of indignation and holy zeal; the high-priest rent his clothes, pretending that our Saviour had spoken blasphemy ( Matthew 26:65), and so did the apostles when the people intended to pay them divine honors ( Acts 14:14). (See Clothing).
To rend the garments was in Eastern countries and among ancient nations a symbolical action, expressive of sorrow, fear, or contrition. (See the monographs on the subject in Latin by Grunewold [Hafn. 1708]; Hilliger [Wittenb. 1716]; Rohrensee [bid. 1668]; Schroder, [Jen. 1716]; and Wickmannshausen [Wittenb. 1716].) The passage in Joel 2:13, "Rend your hearts, and not your garments," is in allusion to this practice. But the phrase here is a Hebraism, meaning " ‘ Rend your hearts Rather Than your garments," or "Rend your hearts, and not your garments only;" for the prophet does not forbid the external appearances of mourning, but he cautions them against a merely hypocritical show of sorrow, and exhorts them to cherish that contrite and broken spirit which is acceptable in the sight of God. (See Burial); (See Mourning).
2. In the prophet Jeremiah 4:30, when he denounces the divine judgments upon the people, it is said, "Though thou rentest ( קָרִע ) thy face with painting;" the Hebrew has, instead of face, "eyes," and the expression is an allusion to the Eastern practice of painting the eyes, which we have explained under the words EYE and Paint
