This act was meant to cause extreme shame and public ridicule. In that culture, a man’s beard was a sign of honor and dignity. Cutting off only half made the humiliation visible and impossible to hide.
cut off their garments: This action exposed the men’s bodies and brought further shame. Public exposure of the body was linked with military defeat and exile in the ancient world (Isaiah 20). The prophet Isaiah describes similar acts of humiliation connected with conquest and captivity.