Genesis 37:34

34 And Iacob rent his cloothes ad put sacke clothe aboute his loynes and sorowed for his sonne a longe season.

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 And they sent that gay coote and caused it to be brought vnto their father and sayd: This haue we founde: se whether it be thy sones coote or no.

33 And he knewe it saynge: it is my sonnes coote a wicked beast hath deuoured him and Ioseph is rent in peces.

34 And Iacob rent his cloothes ad put sacke clothe aboute his loynes and sorowed for his sonne a longe season.

35 Than came all his sonnes ad all his doughters to comforte him. And he wold not be comforted but sayde: I will go doune in to ye grave vnto my sonne mornynge. And thus his father wepte for him.

36 And the Madianytes solde him in Egipte vnto Putiphar a lorde of Pharaos: and his chefe marshall.