Genesis 37:29-36

29 Later Reuben came back and went to the cistern - no Joseph! He ripped his clothes in despair.

30 Beside himself, he went to his brothers. "The boy's gone! What am I going to do!"

31 They took Joseph's coat, butchered a goat, and dipped the coat in the blood.

32 They took the fancy coat back to their father and said, "We found this. Look it over - do you think this is your son's coat?"

33 He recognized it at once. "My son's coat - a wild animal has eaten him. Joseph torn limb from limb!"

34 Jacob tore his clothes in grief, dressed in rough burlap, and mourned his son a long, long time.

35 His sons and daughters tried to comfort him but he refused their comfort. "I'll go to the grave mourning my son." Oh, how his father wept for him.

36 In Egypt the Midianites sold Joseph to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's officials, manager of his household affairs.

Genesis 37:29-36 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 37

In this chapter begins the history of Joseph, with whom the remaining part of this book is chiefly concerned; and here are related the hatred of his brethren to him, because he brought an ill report of them to his father, and because his father loved him, and which was increased by the dream he dreamed, and told them of, Ge 37:1-11; a visit of his to his brethren in the fields, whom he found after a long search of them, Ge 37:12-17; their conspiracy on sight of him to slay him, but by the advice of Reuben it was agreed to cast him into a pit, which they did, Ge 37:18-24; and after that, at the motion of Judah, sold him to the Ishmaelites, who were going to Egypt, Ge 37:25-28; this being done, Reuben being absent, and not finding Joseph in the pit, was in great distress, Ge 37:29,30; their contrivance to deceive their father, and make him believe that Joseph was destroyed by a wild beast, which on the sight of the coat he credited, and became inconsolable, Ge 37:31-35; and the chapter concludes with the sale of Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, Ge 37:36.