Tearing of clothes

Primarily associated with mourning, such action was an expression of deep sorrow and heartfelt grief. It was also a natural reaction at times of great distress and in cases of sincere repentance.

The tearing of clothes was a sign of mourning

It was a demonstration of grief

2 Samuel 1:11–12 See also 2 Samuel 13:30–31; 2 Kings 2:11–12; Job 1:20, Job 2:12

Then David took hold of his own clothes and tore them, and all the men who were with him did the same. They mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the people of the LORD and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

It was often associated with wearing sackcloth

Genesis 37:34 See also 2 Samuel 3:31–32

Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth around his waist, and mourned for his son many days.

The high priest was forbidden to tear his clothes in mourning

Leviticus 21:10–12 See also Leviticus 10:1–7

The priest who is highest among his brothers, who has had the anointing oil poured on his head and has been ordained to wear the priestly garments, must not let his hair hang loose or tear his garments. He must not go near any dead body; he must not defile himself, even for his father or mother. He must not leave or desecrate the sanctuary of his God, for the consecration of the anointing oil of his God is on him. I am the LORD.

The tearing of clothes indicated deep distress

Judges 11:34–35 Jephthah had vowed to sacrifice whatever came out of the door of his house to meet him. See also Genesis 37:29, Genesis 44:12–13; Numbers 14:1–9; Joshua 7:3–6; 2 Kings 6:26–30, 2 Kings 18:28–19:4 parallel Isaiah 36:13–37:4; Esther 3:13–4:1; Acts 14:8–18

And when Jephthah returned home to Mizpah, there was his daughter coming out to meet him with tambourines and dancing! She was his only child; he had no son or daughter besides her. As soon as Jephthah saw her, he tore his clothes and said, “No! Not my daughter! You have brought me to my knees! You have brought great misery upon me, for I have given my word to the LORD and cannot take it back.”

Repentance was sometimes accompanied by the tearing of clothes

1 Kings 21:20–27 See also Jeremiah 36:21–24 an indication of the lack of repentance; Joel 2:12–14 God requires that the tearing of clothes should express genuine repentance.

When Elijah arrived, Ahab said to him, “So you have found me out, my enemy.” He replied, “I have found you out because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the LORD. This is what the LORD says: ‘I will bring calamity on you and consume your descendants; I will cut off from Ahab every male in Israel, both slave and free. I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like that of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked My anger and caused Israel to sin.’ And the LORD also speaks concerning Jezebel: ‘The dogs will devour Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.’ Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city will be eaten by dogs, and anyone who dies in the field will be eaten by the birds of the air.” (Surely there was never one like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the LORD, incited by his wife Jezebel. He committed the most detestable acts by going after idols, just like the Amorites whom the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.) When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted. He lay down in sackcloth and walked around meekly.

Other references to the tearing of clothes

As an expression of anger

Matthew 26:63–65 parallel Mark 14:61–63

But Jesus remained silent. Then the high priest said to Him, “I charge You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God.” “You have said it yourself,” Jesus answered. “But I say to all of you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” At this, the high priest tore his clothes and declared, “He has blasphemed! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy.

To stop the spread of mildew

See also Leviticus 13:53–58

As a symbol of the dividing of the kingdom

1 Samuel 15:27–28