קֶ֫רַע (qe.ra)
qe.ra
rags
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun qera refers to a torn fragment of clothing or a rag. In the Old Testament, it describes literal shreds of fabric rather than a whole garment. This word appears in four verses, primarily within historical and wisdom literature such as 1 Kings, 2 Kings, and Proverbs.
Its usage often signals distress or mourning. When characters tear their clothes, they use these rags to express grief, shame, or humility before God. For instance, prophets and kings might rend their garments in response to blasphemy or disaster, turning a piece of cloth into a public sign of inner turmoil.
The term carries no positive connotation of value; it represents loss and brokenness. Translators typically render it as "rag" or "torn garment," preserving the image of something once whole now divided. This concrete detail grounds abstract emotions in physical reality, showing how ancient Israelites expressed their deepest feelings through simple, everyday materials.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word qera describes a torn fragment of clothing, often used to express deep grief or humility. In ancient Israel, tearing one’s garments was a public sign of inner turmoil, showing how physical actions could reflect spiritual states. This act was not merely dramatic but sincere, revealing the weight of sorrow or reverence before God.
For believers today, this image reminds us that honesty in our emotions is part of faithful living. Whether mourning loss or seeking guidance, we are invited to bring our brokenness openly to God. He sees the heart behind the gesture and meets us with grace, not judgment.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- pieces3×
- and/ rags1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- קְרָעִֽים\׃2×
- קְרָעִ֑ים1×
- וּ֝/קְרָעִ֗ים1×
Key Verses
-
I Kings 11:30
Ahijah took the new garment that was on him, and tore it in twelve pieces.
Ahijah tears his garment into twelve pieces as a symbolic act of divine judgment and division of the kingdom.
-
II Kings 2:12
Elisha saw it, and he cried, “My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” He saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.
Elisha tears his clothes in two after Elijah’s departure, expressing profound personal loss and respect for his mentor.
-
Proverbs 23:21
for the drunkard and the glutton shall become poor; and drowsiness clothes them in rags.
The verse uses rags as a consequence of drunkenness and gluttony, illustrating how sin leads to poverty and shame.