Genesis 37 · Verse 29

Genesis 37:29

And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes.
Genesis 37:29, King James Version

Genesis 37:29 in other translations

BSBWhen Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes,
WEBReuben returned to the pit, and saw that Joseph wasn’t in the pit; and he tore his clothes.
ASVAnd Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes.
YLTAnd Reuben returneth unto the pit, and lo, Joseph is not in the pit, and he rendeth his garments,
DARBYAnd Reuben returned to the pit, and behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his garments,
BBENow when Reuben came back to the hole, Joseph was not there; and giving signs of grief,
WebsterAnd Reuben returned to the pit; and behold, Joseph was not in the pit: and he rent his clothes.

What does Genesis 37:29 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Genesis 37:29-30
29-30. 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.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 29 Ruben returned unto the pit - It appears he was absent when the caravan passed by, to whom the other brethren had sold Joseph.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 37:23-30

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…

Read the full comment on Genesis 37:23-30 →

Genesis 37:29 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיָּ֤שָׁבvai.Ya.shovand he returnedH7725
רְאוּבֵן֙re.'u.VenReubenH7205
אֶל\־'el-toH413
הַבּ֔וֹרha.Borthe pitH953
וְהִנֵּ֥הve.hi.Nehand there!H2009
אֵין\־'ein-notH369
יוֹסֵ֖ףyo.SefJosephH3130
בַּבּ֑וֹרba.Bor[was] in the pitH953
וַיִּקְרַ֖עvai.yik.Ra'and he toreH7167
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
בְּגָדָֽיו\׃be.ga.Davclothes hisH899

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Genesis 37:29

  • Genesis 37:34

    And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.

  • Job 1:20

    Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,

  • Joel 2:13

    And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

  • Acts 14:14

    Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out,

  • Genesis 44:13

    Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city.

  • Numbers 14:6

    And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:

  • Genesis 34:13

    And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully, and said, because he had defiled Dinah their sister:

  • 2 Kings 19:1

    And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the Lord.

  • Judges 11:35

    And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the Lord, and I cannot go back.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
he rent.
34; 34:13; Nu 14:6; Jud 11:35; 2Ki 19:1; Job 1:20; Joe 2:13
Ac 14:14

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Genesis 37:28

    Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.

  • Genesis 37:29

    And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes.

  • Genesis 37:30

    And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child is not; and I, whither shall I go?

Read all of Genesis 37

Genesis 37:29 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y Rubén volvió á la cisterna, y no halló á José dentro, y rasgó sus vestidos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Ruben retourna à la citerne; et voici, Joseph n’était pas dans la citerne; et il déchira ses vêtements,
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und als Ruben zur Grube zurückkam, und siehe, Joseph war nicht in der Grube, da zerriß er seine Kleider.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Reversusque Ruben ad cisternam, non invenit puerum: