God’s Word Translation
Genesis 37:29
29When Reuben came back to the cistern and saw that Joseph was no longer there, he tore his clothes in grief.
Genesis 37:29 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes.
- New International Version (NIV)When Reuben returned to the cistern and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes.
- English Standard Version (ESV)When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he tore his clothes
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then Reuben returned to the pit, and indeed Joseph was not in the pit; and he tore his clothes.
Context of Genesis 37:29
27Let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites. Let’s not hurt him, because he is our brother, our own flesh and blood.” His brothers agreed. 28As the Midianite merchants were passing by, the brothers pulled Joseph out of the cistern. They sold him to the Ishmaelites for eight ounces of silver. The Ishmaelites took him to Egypt. When Reuben came back to the cistern and saw that Joseph was no longer there, he tore his clothes in grief. 30He went back to his brothers and said, “The boy isn’t there! What am I going to do?” 31So they took Joseph’s robe, killed a goat, and dipped the robe in the blood.
Read all of Genesis 37Genesis 37:29 word by word
וַיָּ֤שָׁב רְאוּבֵן֙ אֶל־הַבּ֔וֹר וְהִנֵּ֥ה אֵין־יוֹסֵ֖ף בַּבּ֑וֹר וַיִּקְרַ֖ע אֶת־בְּגָדָֽיו׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Genesis 37:29
- Genesis 37:34Then, to show his grief, Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth around his waist, and mourned for his son a long time.
- Genesis 34:13Then Jacob’s sons gave Shechem and his father Hamor a misleading answer because he had dishonored their sister Dinah.
- Numbers 14:6At the same time, two of those who had explored the land, Joshua (son of Nun) and Caleb (son of Jephunneh), tore their clothes in despair.
- Judges 11:35When he saw her, he tore his clothes in grief and said, “Oh no, Daughter! You’ve brought me to my knees! What disaster you’ve brought me! I made a foolish promise to the Lord. Now I can’t break it.”
- 2 Kings 19:1When King Hezekiah heard the message, he tore his clothes in grief, covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the Lord’s temple.
- Job 1:20Job stood up, tore his robe in grief, and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground and worshiped.
- Joel 2:13Tear your hearts, not your clothes. Return to the Lord your God. He is merciful and compassionate, patient, and always ready to forgive and to change his plans about disaster.
- Acts 14:14When the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard what was happening, they were very upset. They rushed into the crowd
Commentaries on Genesis 37:29
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 29Ruben returned unto the pit - It appears he was absent when the caravan passed by, to whom the other brethren had sold Joseph.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-36Verses 1-36 - Joseph Was Sold into Egypt 17. דתין dotayı̂n Dothain, “two wells?” (Gesenius) 25. נכאת neko't “tragacanth” or goat‘s-thorn gum, yielded by the “astragalus gummifer”, a native of Mount Lebanon. צרי tsērı̂y “opobalsamum,” the resin of the balsam tree, growing in Gilead, and having healing qualities. לט loṭ ͂ lēdon “ledum, ladanum,” in the Septuagint ́ staktē The former is a gum produced from the cistus rose. The latter is a gum resembling…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 23-30Verses 23-30 They threw Joseph into a pit, to perish there with hunger and cold; so cruel were their tender mercies. They slighted him when he was in distress, and were not grieved for the affliction of Joseph, see Am 6:6; for when he was pining in the pit, they sat down to eat bread. They felt no remorse of conscience for the sin. But the wrath of man shall praise God, and the remainder of wrath he will restrain, Psa 76:10. Joseph's brethren were…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 29-30When Reuben returned, he tore his clothes in grief. His attempt to restore his relationship with his father by saving Joseph had gone wrong.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 29-3029-30. 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.Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 37:29
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 37
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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