Genesis 37 34

Genesis 37:34 kjv

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

Genesis 37:34 nkjv

Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth on his waist, and mourned for his son many days.

Genesis 37:34 niv

Then Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and mourned for his son many days.

Genesis 37:34 esv

Then Jacob tore his garments and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days.

Genesis 37:34 nlt

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

Genesis 37 verses

Genesis 37 34 meaning

Genesis 37:34 describes Jacob's profound and public reaction to the false news of his beloved son Joseph's death. His tearing of clothes and wearing sackcloth signified deep anguish, despair, and a state of intense mourning, characteristic of the cultural practices of the ancient Near East when faced with catastrophic loss. This was not a fleeting sorrow but a pervasive grief that settled over him for a significant period.

Genesis 37 34 Context

Genesis chapter 37 details the animosity Joseph's brothers harbored due to Jacob's overt favoritism towards him, symbolized by the "coat of many colors," and Joseph's unsettling dreams of superiority. Fueled by jealousy and resentment, the brothers conspire against Joseph, initially intending to kill him but then selling him into slavery in Egypt. To cover their crime, they smear Joseph's coat with goat blood and present it to their father, leading Jacob to believe a wild beast had devoured his beloved son. Verse 34 describes Jacob's immediate and enduring, gut-wrenching response to this devastating deception, highlighting his profound parental grief within the patriarchal structure where a beloved son's perceived loss was a monumental tragedy, impacting future lineage and family stability.

Genesis 37 34 Word analysis

• Then Jacob: Refers to Israel, the patriarch, whose life was marked by both deception (e.g., against Esau) and significant trials. This act follows a traumatic period, leading to one of his life's deepest sorrows.
• tore his clothes (וַיִּקְרַע בְּגָדָיו, vai-yiq-ra' begadav): "Qara'" means to tear, rip, or rend. This was a universally recognized public act in the ancient Near East, signifying intense emotional distress, grief, despair, or horror. It was a violent physical manifestation of internal agony, leaving the person visibly exposed and vulnerable. This action shows the immediate, visceral shock Jacob felt.
• and put sackcloth (וַיָּשֶׂם שַׂק, vai-ya'sem saq): "Sim" means to place or put. "Saq" refers to coarse, rough fabric, typically made from goat hair. Wearing sackcloth was a further step in the public display of deep mourning, humility, repentance, or lamentation before God or man. It symbolized casting aside normal comforts for austerity, a visible sign of spiritual and emotional lowliness.
• on his loins (עַל־מָתְנָיו, al-matnav): "Motnayim" refers to the waist or hips. This specific placement of sackcloth (often directly against the skin, underneath outer garments) underscored the intimate and personal nature of the grief, being worn closest to the vital organs and signifying a deep, penetrating sorrow.
• and mourned (וַיִּתְאַבֵּל, vai-yit'a-bel): "Avel" means to mourn, lament, or be sorrowful. The Hithpael conjugation indicates a sustained, active, and reflexive state of mourning – he put himself into mourning, entering into a ritualized and prolonged period of grief. This was not just a passing emotion but a committed state of lament.
• for his son (עַל־בְּנוֹ, al-beno): Specifically indicates Joseph. This phrase emphasizes the personal connection and the deep parental love Jacob had, highlighting that his sorrow stemmed directly from the perceived loss of this specific child, his favored son, born of his beloved Rachel.
• many days (יָמִים רַבִּים, yamim rabbim): "Yamim" means days, and "rabbim" means many or numerous. This phrase emphasizes the prolonged and enduring nature of Jacob's grief. It suggests that his mourning was not a temporary display but a sustained and persistent sorrow, indicative of the depth of his loss and the impact it had on his daily life for years to come. This prepares the reader for the lingering sadness seen in subsequent chapters (e.g., Gen 42, 44).

Genesis 37 34 Bonus section

Jacob's enduring grief highlights the Bible's realism regarding human suffering and raw emotion. While God's sovereign plan unfolded (Gen 50:20), Jacob was completely unaware of Joseph's actual fate for twenty-two years. His reaction stands in stark contrast to his sons' cold deceit. This profound mourning for an alive son he believed dead is a powerful example of how divine purpose can proceed through human sorrow and misunderstanding. Jacob's suffering in this chapter subtly echoes the suffering of a shepherd mourning a lost lamb (or sheep), linking his role as patriarch to one who oversees and cares deeply for his flock, represented by his sons. This passage foreshadows the later period of immense national mourning that will characterize the people of Israel throughout their history, facing real or perceived losses, often self-inflicted.

Genesis 37 34 Commentary

Genesis 37:34 captures Jacob's profound devastation upon being deceived about Joseph's death. His dramatic tearing of clothes and persistent wearing of sackcloth are authentic, ancient Near Eastern expressions of overwhelming grief and despair. This highly visual and sustained lament underscores the depth of his fatherly love and the agony of what he believed was an irreparable loss. Irony abounds: Jacob, a master of deception, is himself now agonizingly deceived by his own sons. Unbeknownst to him, this very suffering, orchestrated by human evil, is paradoxically a crucial step in God's redemptive plan for his family and ultimately for the nation of Israel. His "many days" of mourning symbolize the long, unseen preparation of Joseph for his role in Egypt and the testing of the patriarch's faith amidst prolonged sorrow.