Genesis 37:29
in Genesis 37When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes.
KJV
And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes.
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This verse in Genesis 37
Commentary
3 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
he tore his clothes
on Genesis 37:29-30
Clarke keeps the cry in the Hebrew, four words, the boy is gone, and what am I going to do. He is the eldest, and the father will hold him to account for the boy. Jacob tears his own clothes five verses later, over evidence his sons made.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And Reuben returned unto the pit,.... It is very probable he had pretended to go somewhere on business, with an intention to take a circuit, and come to the pit and deliver his brother, and go home with him to his father. The Jews say (b) he departed from his brethren, and sat down on a certain mountain, that he might descend in the night and take Joseph out of the pit, and accordingly he came down in the night, and found him not.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Ruben returned unto the pit - It appears he was absent when the caravan passed by, to whom the other brethren had sold Joseph.
The words behind it
11 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיָּ֤שָׁב | vaiyashov | and he returned | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| רְאוּבֵן֙ | reuven | Reuben | H7205 → | 72 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הַבּ֔וֹר | habor | the pit | H953 → | 66 times |
| וְהִנֵּ֥ה | vehineh | and there! | H2009 → | 843 times |
| אֵין־ | ʾein- | not | H369 → | 789 times |
| יוֹסֵ֖ף | yosef | Joseph | H3130 → | 213 times |
| בַּבּ֑וֹר | babor | [was] in the pit | H953 → | 66 times |
| וַיִּקְרַ֖ע | vaiyikra' | and he tore | H7167 → | 63 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| בְּגָדָֽיו׃ | begadav | clothes his | H899 → | 217 times |
וַיָּ֤שָׁבand he returned
vaiyashovH7725 →1056 times
רְאוּבֵן֙Reuben
reuvenH7205 →72 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
הַבּ֔וֹרthe pit
haborH953 →66 times
וְהִנֵּ֥הand there!
vehinehH2009 →843 times
אֵין־not
ʾein-H369 →789 times
יוֹסֵ֖ףJoseph
yosefH3130 →213 times
בַּבּ֑וֹר[was] in the pit
baborH953 →66 times
וַיִּקְרַ֖עand he tore
vaiyikra'H7167 →63 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
בְּגָדָֽיו׃clothes his
begadavH899 →217 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Job 1:20Then Job stood up, tore his robe, and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and worshiped,
it leads to
- Genesis 37:34
Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth around his waist, and mourned for his son many days.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Peter 5:6
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you.
- 2 Samuel 12:16–20
David pleaded with God for the boy. He fasted and went into his house and spent the night lying in sackcloth on the ground.
- Ezra 9:3
When I heard this report, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled out some hair from my head and beard, and sat down in horror.
- Matthew 26:39
Going a little farther, He fell facedown and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.”
- Genesis 37:34
Through
Genesis 44:13Then they all tore their clothes, loaded their donkeys, and returned to the city.
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 1:11
Then David took hold of his own clothes and tore them, and all the men who were with him did the same.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Samuel 1:11
Through
Numbers 14:6Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes
it leads to
- Numbers 14:30
Surely none of you will enter the land in which I swore to settle you, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.
- Numbers 13:30
Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “We must go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly conquer it!”
- Numbers 14:30
Where this verse is studied
On this page
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Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.