New King James Version
Genesis 37:29
29Then Reuben returned to the pit, and indeed Joseph was not in the pit; and he tore his clothes.
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 Living Translation (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.
Context of Genesis 37:29
27Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh.” And his brothers listened. 28Then Midianite traders passed by; so the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt. Then Reuben returned to the pit, and indeed Joseph was not in the pit; and he tore his clothes. 30And he returned to his brothers and said, “The lad is no more; and I, where shall I go?” 31So they took Joseph’s tunic, killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the tunic 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 Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth on his waist, and mourned for his son many days.
- Genesis 34:13But the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father, and spoke deceitfully, because he had defiled Dinah their sister.
- Numbers 14:6But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes;
- Judges 11:35And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he tore his clothes, and said, “Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low! You are among those who trouble me! For I have given my word to the Lord, and I cannot go back on it.”
- 2 Kings 19:1And so it was, when King Hezekiah heard it, that he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the Lord.
- Job 1:20Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped.
- Joel 2:13So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the Lord your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm.
- Acts 14:14But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries