Genesis 37:35 kjv

And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him.

Genesis 37:35 nkjv

And all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted, and he said, "For I shall go down into the grave to my son in mourning." Thus his father wept for him.

Genesis 37:35 niv

All his sons and daughters came to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. "No," he said, "I will continue to mourn until I join my son in the grave." So his father wept for him.

Genesis 37:35 esv

All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted and said, "No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning." Thus his father wept for him.

Genesis 37:35 nlt

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.

Genesis 37 verses

Genesis 37 35 Meaning

Genesis 37:35 describes Jacob's profound grief and desolation after being presented with Joseph's blood-stained tunic, leading him to believe his beloved son was dead. Despite his family's attempts, he utterly refused any comfort, declaring his intention to mourn until he joined his son in Sheol, the realm of the dead. The verse highlights the intensity of his paternal love and the depth of his sorrow.

Genesis 37 35 Context

Genesis 37:35 occurs within the dramatic narrative of Joseph's sale into slavery by his jealous brothers. The chapter focuses on the brothers' hatred for Joseph, their plot against him, and their elaborate deception of their father, Jacob, presenting Joseph's multi-colored tunic (a symbol of Jacob's special affection for Joseph) dipped in animal blood as evidence of his death by wild beast. Jacob, believing the fabricated story, falls into deep and inconsolable mourning. This verse marks the nadir of his grief, underscoring the severe consequences of the brothers' sin and setting the stage for Joseph's long separation and eventual reconciliation with his family, all woven into God's sovereign plan. The immediate cultural context involves familial honor and grief rituals, but also the prevalent deception that marks many narratives in the book of Genesis.

Genesis 37 35 Word analysis

• All his sons and all his daughters rose up: This emphasizes the collective family effort to comfort Jacob. The mention of "daughters" (perhaps Dinah or his daughters-in-law, possibly indicating they are mourning along with the sons or taking part in customary mourning rites for prominent members) adds to the portrayal of the communal nature of grief and consolation.
• to comfort him: The Hebrew word is nacham (נחם). It implies more than mere soothing; it signifies regret, compassion, or to cause one to recover hope or relief from pain. Here, it denotes providing solace, but also potentially to ease his mind from the burden of his sorrow.
• but he refused to be comforted: This highlights the depth and intensity of Jacob's grief. His sorrow was so profound that no human consolation could reach him. It indicates an unyielding sorrow, demonstrating the profound love Jacob had for Joseph and the devastation caused by his perceived loss.
• And he said, "No, I shall go down to Sheol: The "No" (Lo') emphatically rejects the comfort offered. "Go down" (yarad) literally signifies descent. "Sheol" (sh'ol, שְׁאוֹל) is the Hebrew term for the realm of the dead, the grave, or the underworld. In the ancient Near Eastern understanding, it was a dark, shadowy, dusty place to which all the dead descend, a place of no return in early Israelite thought. Jacob's statement expresses his desire or determination to carry his grief with him until he dies and joins his son, illustrating his immense sorrow and perhaps a lack of knowledge of God's broader redemptive plan for Sheol until later revelations.
• to my son mourning, This reveals the precise reason for his desire to "go down" to Sheol – not simply to die, but to continue mourning for Joseph, as if death would merely transition his grief to another realm where he could still be connected to his son's fate. It personifies his sorrow, depicting it as a constant companion until death.
• Thus his father wept for him: This concise phrase confirms the sustained, overwhelming nature of Jacob's lament. The word "wept" (bakah) indicates deep sorrow, crying, and lamenting, encapsulating the entire emotional state of Jacob after his son's supposed demise. This reiterates Jacob's role as the heartbroken patriarch.

Words-group analysis:

• All his sons and all his daughters... to comfort him: This emphasizes the broad, united family response to the tragedy, fulfilling a customary social duty in times of mourning. It also subtly highlights their hypocrisy, as they were the source of his sorrow, yet feigned consolation.
• He refused to be comforted. And he said, "No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son mourning." This entire statement demonstrates a grief so consuming that it rejects all earthly solace. It reveals a specific, pre-resurrection understanding of death and the afterlife, where Jacob expects to descend to the shadowy realm of Sheol, still carrying his profound sorrow, to be with his deceased son. It paints a picture of intense paternal love bordering on despair.
• Thus his father wept for him: This final clause solidifies the picture of overwhelming, unrelenting grief. It summarizes the persistent sorrow that defines Jacob's response, marking a period of deep suffering that would impact him for years.

Genesis 37 35 Bonus section

The concept of "Sheol" in early Hebrew thought was primarily the common grave, a silent abode for all the dead, regardless of moral standing. It lacked the developed distinctions of a hell or heaven seen in later theological tradition. Jacob's statement reflects this foundational understanding—a dark, permanent dwelling of the departed. His expectation was to join Joseph in this shadowy realm, still defined by his grief. This differs significantly from later, clearer understandings of resurrection and specific destinies for the righteous and wicked, although the hope of rescue from Sheol and divine power over it begins to emerge in psalms (Ps 16, 49) and prophetic writings (Hos 13:14), culminating in Christ's triumph over death and Hades. Jacob's prolonged grief, believing Joseph to be dead for decades, sets up a powerful emotional backdrop for the later dramatic revelation of Joseph's survival, illustrating God's redemptive work through unforeseen circumstances and immense human suffering.

Genesis 37 35 Commentary

Genesis 37:35 paints a stark picture of overwhelming grief that defies all human consolation. Jacob's sorrow over Joseph, whom he believed to be dead, was so profound that it became an identity, something he intended to carry into the afterlife (Sheol). His refusal of comfort highlights an extreme emotional state where the magnitude of loss makes any form of solace seem irrelevant or even an affront to the depth of love he felt. This verse profoundly expresses the agony of separation and perceived finality of death in the early biblical understanding. It subtly introduces the theme of human despair juxtaposed against divine providence, as Jacob's pronouncements of death are far from God's unfolding reality for Joseph and his family. The irony is poignant: Joseph is not in Sheol, but in Egypt, yet his perceived death creates a "living death" for Jacob, profoundly impacting him until reunion decades later.

Examples:

• Jacob's refusal of comfort mirrors a parent's inconsolable pain over a lost child, often feeling that no words can truly ease their suffering.
• The desire to "go down to Sheol...mourning" illustrates a person consumed by grief, feeling their life cannot move past the tragic event, choosing to dwell in sorrow even unto death.