Genesis 37:34

34 Then Jacob tore his clothes and dressed himself in burlap. He mourned deeply for his son for a long time.

Genesis 37:34 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 37:34

And Jacob rent his clothes
As expressive of his grief and mourning for the death of his son, as he supposed: and put sackcloth upon his loins;
put off his usual apparel, and put on a coarse garment on his loins next to his flesh, as another token of his great trouble and affliction for the loss of his son; which though afterwards was frequently done in times of public or private mourning, yet this is the first time we read of it; whether Jacob was the first that used it, whom his posterity and others imitated, is not certain; however it appears that this usage, as well as that of rending clothes on sorrowful occasions, were very ancient: and mourned for his son many days:
or years, as days sometimes signify; twenty two years, according to Jarchi, even until the time he went down to Egypt and saw him alive.

Genesis 37:34 In-Context

32 They sent the beautiful robe to their father with this message: “Look at what we found. Doesn’t this robe belong to your son?”

33 Their father recognized it immediately. “Yes,” he said, “it is my son’s robe. A wild animal must have eaten him. Joseph has clearly been torn to pieces!”

34 Then Jacob tore his clothes and dressed himself in burlap. He mourned deeply for his son for a long time.

35 His family all tried to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. “I will go to my grave mourning for my son,” he would say, and then he would weep.

36 Meanwhile, the Midianite traders arrived in Egypt, where they sold Joseph to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Potiphar was captain of the palace guard.