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.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.

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 ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4977.htm - 6k

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: I rend, break ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4486.htm - 7k

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 ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1284.htm - 6k

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. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4048.htm - 6k

673. apochorizo -- to separate, part asunder
... to depart, to separate. From apo and chorizo; to rend apart; reflexively, to
separate -- depart (asunder). see GREEK apo. see GREEK chorizo. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/673.htm - 6k

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. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4682.htm - 6k

4952. susparasso -- to convulse completely
... to convulse. From sun and sparasso; to rend completely, ie (by analogy) to convulse
violently -- throw down. see GREEK sun. see GREEK sparasso. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4952.htm - 7k

2608. katagnumi -- to break in pieces
... break. From kata and the base of rhegnumi; to rend in pieces, ie Crack apart --
break. see GREEK kata. see GREEK rhegnumi. (kateagosin) -- 1 Occurrence. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2608.htm - 6k

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. ...
/hebrew/2963.htm - 6k

6533. param -- to tear or rend (a garment)
... param. 6534 . to tear or rend (a garment). Transliteration: param Phonetic Spelling:
(paw-ram') Short Definition: tear. ... rend. A primitive root; to tear -- rend ...
/hebrew/6533.htm - 5k

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 ...
/hebrew/7167.htm - 6k

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. ...
/hebrew/8156.htm - 6k

1234. baqa -- to cleave, break open or through
... A primitive root; to cleave; generally, to rend, break, rip or open -- make a breach,
break forth (into, out, in pieces, through, up), be ready to burst ...
/hebrew/1234.htm - 6k

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 ...
/hebrew/6561.htm - 6k

6475. patsah -- to part, open
... deliver, gape, open, rid, utter. A primitive root; to rend, ie Open (especially
the mouth) -- deliver, gape, open, rid, utter. 6474, 6475. patsah. 6476 . ...
/hebrew/6475.htm - 6k

6480. patsam -- to split open
... root Definition to split open NASB Word Usage split it open (1). break. A primitive
root; to rend (by earthquake) -- break. 6479, 6480. patsam. 6481 . ...
/hebrew/6480.htm - 5k

6426. palats -- to shudder
... tremble. A primitive root; properly, perhaps to rend, ie (by implication) to quiver --
tremble. 6425, 6426. palats. 6427 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/6426.htm - 5k

Fifth Sunday after Epiphany Oh that Thou Wouldst Rend the Heavens ...
... Fifth Sunday After Epiphany Oh that Thou wouldst rend the heavens, that Thou wouldst
come down, that the mountains might flow down at Thy presence . . . ...
/.../winkworth/lyra germanica the christian year/fifth sunday after epiphany oh.htm

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 and rend you." For ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/augustine/our lords sermon on the mount/chapter xx 2.htm

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 surely rend the kingdom ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the fall of solomon.htm

Archaisms in the Hymns
... And, finally, there is the use of rent' for rend': My stony heart Thy voice
shall rent,. Thou wilt, I trust, the veil remove. [45]. ...
/.../iii archaisms in the hymns.htm

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 surely rend the kingdom ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 5 solomons repentance.htm

John Chapter xix. 23, 24
... They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it,
whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They ...
/.../augustine/homilies on the gospel of john/tractate cxviii john chapter xix.htm

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 ...
/.../cassian/the seven books of john cassian /chapter x he explains what.htm

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 to rend God asunder from Himself. ...
/.../cassian/the seven books of john cassian /chapter xv st thomas also.htm

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 then rend our hearts, that if any evil plant, any ...
/.../chrysostom/on the priesthood/homily iv an exhortation to.htm

Before Annas and the Court of Caiaphas
... sentence. A high priest was not to rend his garments. ... death. Under no
circumstances, on no occasion, was the priest to rend his robe. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/white/the desire of ages/chapter 75 before annas and.htm

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). ...
/r/rend.htm - 18k

Tear (97 Occurrences)
... 4. (vt) To separate by violence; to pull apart by force; to rend; to lacerate;
as, to tear cloth; to tear a garment; to tear the skin or flesh. ...
/t/tear.htm - 37k

Rent (76 Occurrences)
... 1. (imp. & pp) of Rend. 2. (vi) To rant. 3. (v.) imp. & pp of Rend. 4. (n.) An opening
made by rending; a break or breach made by force; a tear. ...
/r/rent.htm - 32k

Blast (28 Occurrences)
... 6. (n.) The act of rending, or attempting to rend, heavy masses of rock, earth,
etc., by the explosion of gunpowder, dynamite, etc.; also, the charge used for ...
/b/blast.htm - 20k

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 ...
/a/asunder.htm - 22k

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 dost rend thy garments ...
/a/affirmation.htm - 39k

Uncover (35 Occurrences)
... Leviticus 10:6 And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his
sons, Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes; lest ye die, and lest ...
/u/uncover.htm - 18k

Garments (232 Occurrences)
... YLT NAS RSV). Genesis 44:13 and they rend their garments, and each ladeth
his ass, and they turn back to the city. (YLT). Genesis 45 ...
/g/garments.htm - 37k

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 shall rend it. ...
/u/untempered.htm - 9k

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 will rend the kingdom out of the hand of ...
/j/jerobo'am.htm - 32k

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