Genesis 37:29

Gen 37:29 And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph [was] not in the pit; and he rent his clothes.

Ver. 29. He rent his clothes.] In token of extreme passion. A custom in use also among some heathens.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Gen_37:29-30

Reuben returned

Lessons

1.

Under the wise providence of God, helpers may come too late to so save oppressed.

2. Creatures as they intend, so may they do their utmost to save, when God will not have it so.

3. The pit, under Gods disposal, giveth up to sale, when it is intended unto freedom.

4. Nature is apt to be passionate to rending cloths upon disappointments (Gen_37:29).

5. Brotherly affection disappointed, though not true, will make one fall upon disappointers with indignation.

6. Passiom may make men judge that not to be, which is, and so may make mourners.

7. Natural affection may put men to their wits end upon disappointments, and fears of worse events (Gen_37:30). (G. Hughes, B. D.)

Lessons

1. Hypocrisy may admit trouble in some evil, but conspires wilfully to do other. Reuben with them.

2. The coat of innocency may be made a cloak to cover cruelty.

3. Cruelty makes use of policy to hide itself from discovery. Kids blood for mans.

4. Sinners subtlety sometimes to put it off from themselves, makes evil worse than it is. Blood without blood (Gen_37:31.)

5. Beastly acting sinners use, to turn over their sins to beasts (so if the word be striking through).

6. The guilty have their harbingers, to conceal sin more cunningly.

7. Sin makes men shameless to bring the tokens of their wickedness to plead for them.

8. Sellers of brethren make not much to do that, which may kill their fathers.

9. Sinners use to make their refuge in lies, and so add sin to sin.

10. Impudent sinners, though they be conscious, yet make things doubtful unto others (Gen_37:32).

11. Good men may be deceived by sinners, upon that which they know.

12. Gracious souls may be too credulous toward the wicked, who speaks falsely to them.

13. Over much credulity makes men receive that which afterwards they find false (Gen_37:33). (G. Hughes, B. D.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

CRITICAL NOTES.—

Gen_37:35. The grave.] Heb. Sheol. The unseen world, or the place of departed spirits. The A.V. also renders this word in some places hell, in others the pit. Probably derived from Heb. verb sha-al, to ask or inquire. It is that condition in which we ask after the lost ones. Where are they? Others derive it from a word which means cavity or pit. It is ever craving, never satisfied, demanding the whole human race.

MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.—Gen_37:29-36

JACOB’S GRIEF FOR HIS SON

I. It was deep and overwhelming. Jacob had felt many a sorrow before, had mourned over the loss of those who were dear, but this sorrow went the deepest to his heart. The other calamities which fell upon him seemed to be more directly from the hand of God. They were to be expected in the ordinary course of Providence. But this fatality which happened to his beloved son would raise in him painful and inevitable self-questionings, and a sad sense of self condemnation. He could impute the blame to no one but himself. Why did he let the boy go alone on such a journey? Why did he send him without protection into a country abounding in wild beasts? Of course our sympathy is relieved when we know that Jacob’s sorrows were founded upon no real ground of fact. But it was all real to him. This was the saddest sorrow of all.

II. It was inconsolable. “He refused to be comforted.” (Gen_37:35.) It seemed now as if his whole house had been given over to destruction, every prospect ruined! He speaks as one who had lost all hope in life. To allow grief to overwhelm the soul, and sink it into such depths of sorrow, betokens a want of confidence in God and in the power of His supporting grace. Eminent saints may have grievous afflictions, but even then they should not speak of them as insupportable. God had dispelled many dark clouds for Jacob before, and he should not have given way to despondency now.

III. It cast him upon the future. He ought to have sought God’s consolations in this world, though he looked to the future for full satisfaction and recompence. But he renounced the hope of seeing any more good in what remained to him of this present life. “I will go down,” he said, “into the grave unto my son mourning.” The word rendered “grave” is the Heb. Sheol, the place to which the souls of men depart after death, and where they await God. Jacob did not expect to go to his son in the grave, for (as he believed) Joseph had no grave. The Hebrews had a well-known word for “grave” (Gen_23:9), which would have been employed here had it been intended to convey the idea of the last resting-place of the body. Surely Jacob looked beyond the grave, where was assembled the congregation of the fathers who had resigned their souls to God. The form of the Heb. word has the idea of direction, Shoel-ward. Thus he speaks of his life as passing on to that unknown land. He does not contemplate a state of non-existence. Joseph was still his son. There was a tie still between them. Each had a personality undestroyed. His son had a being somehow and somewhere. Jacob had learned from the promises of the Covenant that God was his God, and surely he must have felt the conviction that this sacred relationship would not end at death, but last on for ever. “He is not a God of the dead, but of the living,” for all live unto Him.” (Luk_20:37-38.)

SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS ON THE VERSES

Gen_37:29-30. His intentions were good, and his plan seemed to be well concerted, but it was not successful. It was not by Reuben that Joseph was to be delivered; he must yet pass through a deep scene of affliction before he obtains that glory for which he was destined. God often blasts the designs that are formed for the good of His people, not because He frowns upon them, but because the whole work is not yet accomplished which He intends to accomplish by their afflictions.—(Bush.)

The day came when Joseph’s brethren were compelled to hear Reuben and to remember bitterly this time.—(Gen_42:22).

Gen_37:31-32. They could not deny themselves the brutal pleasure of thus insulting their father, even in the hour of his distress, for his former partiality.—(Fuller.)

Gen_37:33-34. Seldom does misfortune come alone. It is but a short time since Jacob was deprived of Rachel; now he has lost Joseph. In such a concealment of guilt they pass twenty-two years.—(Lange.)

It is no evil beast, but men more cruel than tigers that have done towards him what is done; but thus Jacob thought, and thus he mourned. We are ready to wonder how Reuben could keep his counsel; yet with all his grief he did so; perhaps he might be afraid of his own life.—(Fuller.)

Gen_37:35. Joseph’s brethren add sin to sin, and dare to cover all with the infamous hypocrisy of comforting their father, when they themselves were the cause of his grief.

Jacob renounced the hope of seeing any more good in this world when his choicest comfort in life was taken away. He had the prospect of no days of gladness when Joseph, the joy of his heart, was torn in pieces by wild beasts. But he did not know what joys were yet before him in the recovery of his long lost son. We know not what joys or what sorrows are before us. It is rash, therefore, to prejudge the allotments of Providence, to infer the permanence of what we now feel. At any rate, we have no reason to despond while God’s throne continues firm and stable in heaven.—(Bush.)

Gen_37:36. Little did the Egyptians dream that their future lord was come to be sold in their country; still less did they know the dignity and glory of our Lord Jesus Christ when He was brought into their country by another Joseph, and by Mary his wife. Time brings the real characters and dignity of some men to light.—(Bush.)

Little knew Joseph what God was in doing. Have patience, till He have brought both ends together.—(Trapp).

The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.

37:29-30 When Reuben returned, he tore his clothes in grief. His attempt to restore his relationship with his father by saving Joseph had gone awry.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Reuben returned unto the pit--He seems to have designedly taken a circuitous route, with a view of secretly rescuing the poor lad from a lingering death by starvation. His intentions were excellent, and his feelings no doubt painfully lacerated when he discovered what had been done in his absence. But the thing was of God, who had designed that Joseph's deliverance should be accomplished by other means than his.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 29. Reuben returned unto the pit] It appears he was absent when the caravan passed by, to whom the other brethren had sold Joseph.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(29) Reuben returned.—Evidently he was not present when Joseph was sold to the Midianites. This has been made into a difficulty, but really it confirms the truth of the narrative. For the difficulty arises solely from the supposition that Joseph’s brethren immediately after casting him into the pit “sat down to eat bread,” an act well described as most cold-blooded. But they were not actually guilty of it; for what the narrative says is that they were having their evening meal when the caravan came in sight. Reuben, between the casting of Joseph into the pit and the evening meal, had apparently gone a long round to fetch in the more distant cattle, and probably had remained away as long as possible, in order to feel sure that his brethren would on his return be at their dinner. He hoped thus to be able to go alone to the cistern, and rescue Joseph, and send him away home before the rest could interfere. Thus rightly understood, it is a proof of the trustworthiness of the history.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

29. And Reuben] Reuben returning to “the pit” finds it empty. The Midianites had carried off the lad. Reuben’s distress reveals his purpose to his brethren. Clearly this is a different picture from that of the sale of Joseph to the Ishmaelites.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And he returned unto his brethren,.... From the pit, and whom he suspected had took him and killed him, as was their first design, not being with them when they proposed to sell him, and did:

and said, the child is not; not in the pit, nor in the land of the living, but is dead, which is sometimes the meaning of the phrase, Jer 31:15; he calls him a child, though seventeen years of age, because the youngest brother but one, and he himself was the eldest, and also because of his tender concern for him:

and I, whither shall I go? to find the child or flee from his father's face, which he could not think of seeing any more; whom he had highly offended already in the case of Bilhah, and now he would be yet more incensed against him for his neglect of Joseph, who, he might have expected, would have taken particular care of him, being the eldest son: he speaks like one in the utmost perplexity, not knowing what to do, what course to steer, being almost distracted and at his wits' end.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Ruben, who, in the mean time had been absent while his brethren hearkened to the proposal of Juda only, and therefore consented to this evil. (Haydock)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Reuben returned unto the pit, that, according to his brethren’s order, Gen 37:27, he might take him thence and sell him.

He rent his clothes, as the manner was upon doleful occurrences. See below, Gen 37:34; Num 14:6; Ezr 9:3; Job 1:20; 2:12.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Vers. 29, 30. And Reuben (in whose absence apparently the scheme of sale had been concocted and carried through) returned to the pit (obviously with a view to deliver Joseph); and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes a token of his mingled grief and horror at the discovery (of. ver. 34; 44:13; 2Sa_13:31; 2Ki_18:37; Job_1:20) And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child (or young man, as in Gen_4:23, where dl,y, in the one hemistich is equivalent to vyai in the other) is not; and I, whither shall I goi.e. however shall I account for his disappearance?

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The business was settled in Reuben's absence; probably because his brethren suspected that he intended to rescue Joseph. When he came to the pit and found Joseph gone, he rent his clothes (a sign of intense grief on the part of the natural man) and exclaimed: "The boy is no more, and I, whither shall I go!" - how shall I account to his father for his disappearance! But the brothers were at no loss; they dipped Joseph's coat in the blood of a goat and sent it to his father, with the message, "We have found this; see whether it is thy son's coat or not." Jacob recognised the coat at once, and mourned bitterly in mourning clothes (שׂק) for his son, whom he supposed to have been devoured and destroyed by a wild beast (טרף טרף inf. abs. of Kal before Pual, as an indication of undoubted certainty), and refused all comfort from his children, saying, "No (כּי immo, elliptical: Do not attempt to comfort me, for) I will go down mourning into Sheol to my son." Sheol denotes the place where departed souls are gathered after death; it is an infinitive form from שׁאל to demand, the demanding, applied to the place which inexorably summons all men into its shade (cf. Pro 30:15-16; Isa 5:14; Hab 2:5). How should his sons comfort him, when they were obliged to cover their wickedness with the sin of lying and hypocrisy, and when even Reuben, although at first beside himself at the failure of his plan, had not courage enough to disclose his brothers' crime?

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

Jacob’s Grief over Joseph

v. 29. And Reuben returned unto the pit. The brothers had taken advantage of his absence to carry out Judah’s plan. And, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes in deep grief and sorrow.

v. 30. And he returned unto his brethren and said, the child is not; and I, whither shall I go? He felt that his father would hold him, as the oldest, responsible for the welfare of, Joseph.

v. 31. And they took Joseph’s coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood;

v. 32. and they sent the coat of many colors, and they brought it to their father, and said, This have we found; know now whether it be thy son’s coat or no. In this way the brothers answered the cry of Reuben. The fine coat of Joseph, the object of their jealousy and their wrath, they soaked in the blood of a young goat and then delivered it to their father with a heartless notice. Thus one transgression gave birth to another, and the hearts of the sons were estranged from their father.

v. 33. And he knew it and said, It is my son’s coat. Love sharpened Jacob’s eyesight so that he had no difficulty in recognizing the coat. An evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces: torn, torn to pieces is Joseph. Thus the father was misled by the deception of his sons, reaching the conclusion which they had intended.

v. 34. And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days. He continued to wear the garment of deepest mourning for a long time.

v. 35. And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him. A poor enough effort it must have been on the part of the guilty sons, unless they were absolutely callous by this time. But he refused to be comforted; and he said, for I will go down in to the grave, into the realm of death,unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him. He saw only the dark night of death and mourning before him.

v. 36. and the Midianites sold him (Joseph)in to Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s and captain of the guard. As a slave he was sold to this eunuch, or officer, of the Egyptian king, who was the commander or captain of Pharaoh’s body-guard, and incidentally the head-executioner. Joseph is a type of Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of the heavenly Father, sent down from heaven for the welfare of His brethren on earth. He also was sold for a few pieces of silver and subjected to every form of indignity. But in all these things, God’s gracious counsel of salvation was carried out.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Reuben returned to the pit, and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit

"Reuben returned to the pit, and was surprised to see that Joseph was not there." The word "behold" here shows that Reuben was surprised to find out Joseph was gone.

He tore his clothes

This is an act of deep distress and grief. This can be written more clearly. AT: "He was so grieved that he tore his clothes" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

The boy is not there! And I, where can I go?

Reuben uses questions for emphasis the problem that Joseph was missing. These can be written as statements. AT: "The boy is gone! I cannot go back home now!" (See: Rhetorical Question)

translationWords

Reuben

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

וישב ראובן AND REUBEN RETURNED — When he (Joseph) was sold he had not been present, for it was his day (his turn) to go to attend to his father (Genesis Rabbah 84:19). Another explanation is: he had not sat with them at the meal because he was occupied with his sack-cloth and fast in penitence for having disturbed his father’s couch (Genesis Rabbah 84:19).

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

וישב, he returned from wherever he had gone to his brothers, going back to the pit to see if he could rescue Joseph without his brothers finding out, and to return him to his father. There is a discussion in Bereshit Rabbah 84,19 as to where Reuven had been in the interval. According to some, it had been his turn to attend to the needs of his father, whereas according to Rabbi Eliezer he was engaged in doing penance, etc., for having slept with Bilhah, his father’s concubine.

Radak on the Tanakh — English translations: “Sefaria Community Translation” (CC0 1.0 (public-domain dedication)); “Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash” (CC BY 4.0); “Rabbi Mike Feuer, Jerusalem Anthology” (CC BY 4.0); and “R. David Kimhi on the first book of Psalms, Translated by R.G. Finch, London, 1919” (public domain). Text via Sefaria.