Genesis 37:29

Joseph’s brother Reuben was somewhere else, so he didn’t see his brothers sell Joseph to that Midian mob. He thought that Joseph was still in that hole in the ground. And Reuben wanted to save Joseph, so he went to that hole to get him out. But he saw that Joseph wasn’t in that hole any more, and he got really upset. He was so upset that he tore his clothes.

Plain English Version

In The King James Version

And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes.

In Context

28So when that Midian mob got near to them, Joseph’s brothers pulled Joseph out of that hole, and they sold him to the Midian mob for 20 pieces of silver money. Then the Midian mob took Joseph to Egypt country.

30Then he went back to his brothers, and he said to them, “Our young brother isn’t in that hole any more. I’m his oldest brother, but now there is nothing I can do to help him.”

Read all of Genesis 37

Cross References

Genesis 37:34So Jacob was really sad, because he thought that Joseph was dead. He was so sad that he tore his clothes. Then he put on some clothes made out of a rough cloth, called sack-cloth, and he cried. You see, in that culture, people sometimes tore their clothes and wore sack-cloth to show that they were sad. Jacob cried like that for lots of days.

Matthew Henry on Genesis 37:24-31

23 And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him; 24 And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it. 25 And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt. 26 And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Genesis 37:29