Rending of Clothes

Rending Of Clothes To rend or tear the garments was from the earliest period an action expressive of the highest grief (Ge 37:29). Jacob and David did it on various occasions; and so did Joshua, Hezekiah, and Ezra (2Sa 13:31; Jos 7:6; 2Ki 19:1; Ezr 9:3). The high-priest was forbidden to rend his clothes (Le 10:6; Le 21:10), prob. ably meaning his sacred garments: perhaps those referred to in Mt 26:65, were such as were ordinarily worn, or merely judicial, and not pontificial garments. Sometimes it denoted anger, or indignation mingled with sorrow (Isa 36:22; Isa 37:1; Ac 14:14). SEE RENDING.