29
Reubenרְאוּבֵןreturnedוַיָּשָׁבto the cistern,אֶל הַבּוֹרand look,וְהִנֵּהJosephיוֹסֵףwas notאֵיןin the cistern;בַּבּוֹרand he toreוַיִּקְרַעhis clothes.אֶת בְּגָדָיו
Genesis 37:29
Study it in the app“Reuben returned to the cistern, and look, Joseph was not in the cistern; and he tore his clothes.”
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 37:29, word by word
- Reubenרְאוּבֵןreuven
Reuben
Reuben, the firstborn of Jacob and Leah; also the tribe that came from him. The name sounds like "look, a son!".
Where else “reuven” appears- returnedיָּשָׁבyashav
return
To go back to a place.
Where else “yashav” appears- to the cisternבּוֹרbor
cistern
A hole dug to hold water.
Where else “bor” appears- Josephיוֹסֵףyosef
Joseph
Joseph, a name borne by several Israelites, above all the son of Jacob and Rachel, sold into Egypt, who became ruler there and saved his family; his sons Ephraim and Manasseh became tribes. The name means "may he add".
Where else “yosef” appears- and he toreיִּקְרַעyikra
tear
To rip one's clothes in great grief.
Where else “yikra” appears- his clothesבְּגָדָיbegaday
garment
A garment with which someone covers the body, or a blanket for warmth.
Where else “begaday” appears
The context
28Then Midianite men, traders, passed by; and they drew and lifted Joseph out of the cistern and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver; and they brought Joseph to Egypt.
29 · This verse (above)
30He returned to his brothers and said, “The child is gone! And I, where am I to go?”
To study Genesis 37 in a group
1. What it says
What did the brothers do to Joseph, and what did they tell Jacob (vv. 23-33)?
2. What it means
What reasons did the brothers have for hating Joseph (vv. 3-4, 8)?
3. How I live it
How do you handle envy when someone receives more attention than you?