Theme: The LORD’s King will be exalted; do not grasp what God has not given, trust him to bring vengeance

Hems, garments, rulers and kings
You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people.
– Exodus 22:28

Samuel turned to go away, Saul seized the skirt of his robe, and it tore. And Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to a neighbour of yours, who is better than you.
– 1 Samuel 15:27-28

And he said, “Thus and so he spoke to me, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD, I anoint you king over Israel.’” Then in haste every man of them took his garment and put it under him on the bare steps, and they blew the trumpet and proclaimed, “Jehu is king.”
– 2 Kings 9:12-13

If ever Iarimlim…lets go the hem of Abban’s garment and seizes the hem of another king’s garment, he shall forfeit the town and territories. Furthermore, if the descendants of Iarimlim are against Abban or the descendants of Abban, vizier of Hattusa, if the hem of the garment of Abban or of the descendants of Abban they let go and seize the hem of another king’s garment, then his towns and territories they will forfeit.
– Inscription from a tablet excavated at Alalakh (modern Acana, Turkey) dating to 1700 BC. The insciption shows that grasping a hem was a symbol of submission. It implies that cutting a hem would therefore be a declaration of rebellion.