When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes,
Parallel translations
- WEB Reuben returned to the pit; and saw that Joseph wasn’t in the pit; and he tore his clothes.
- KJV And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes.
- NKJV Then Reuben returned to the pit, and indeed Joseph was not in the pit; and he tore his clothes.
- NASB Now Reuben returned to the pit, and behold, Joseph was not in the pit; so he tore his garments.
- NLT Some time later, Reuben returned to get Joseph out of the cistern. When he discovered that Joseph was missing, he tore his clothes in grief.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Reuben returns to the pit, finds Joseph gone, and tears his clothes in distress. His plan to rescue Joseph has failed.
Overview
Reuben, absent during the sale, comes back to free Joseph and is horrified to find the pit empty. Tearing his clothes, he expresses grief and alarm, knowing his responsibility as the eldest. His anguish underscores the gravity of what the brothers have done and his own failure to deliver Joseph.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Gen 37:34Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth around his waist, and mourned for his son many days.
- Job 1:20Then Job stood up, tore his robe, and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and worshiped,
- Joel 2:13So rend your hearts and not your garments, and return to the LORD your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion. And He relents from sending disaster.
- Acts 14:14But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul found out about this, they tore their clothes and rushed into the crowd, shouting,
- Num 14:6Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes
- Gen 44:13Then they all tore their clothes, loaded their donkeys, and returned to the city.
- Gen 34:13But because Shechem had defiled their sister Dinah, Jacob’s sons answered him and his father Hamor deceitfully.
- 2 Kgs 19:1On hearing this report, King Hezekiah tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and entered the house of the LORD.
- Judg 11:35As soon as Jephthah saw her, he tore his clothes and said, “No! Not my daughter! You have brought me to my knees! You have brought great misery upon me, for I have given my word to the LORD and cannot take it back.”
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Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 37:29 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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