Jacob’s demonstrative act of tearing his clothes and mourning profoundly testifies to a father’s love for his son.
Jacob, who lived around the early second millennium BC, receives tragic news that leads him to deep anguish in Genesis 37:34. When he believes his beloved son Joseph is gone, the verse states that “Jacob tore his clothes, and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days” (v.34). Tearing one’s clothes was a common cultural expression of profound distress in the ancient Near East. Here, we see Jacob’s heartbroken response as he puts on sackcloth, traditionally made of rough, coarse material, both to humble himself and to externalize the depth of his sorrow. His readiness to visibly bear this grief underscores the weight of his love for Joseph and his intense despair over losing him.
This fatherly mourning not only shows us the familial bonds within the patriarchal context but also highlights Jacob’s vulnerability as an aging man. Jacob, formerly known as Israel after wrestling with God (Genesis 32:28), stands at a pivotal stage in the biblical timeline. He was a central figure who had inherited the promise given to Abraham (around 2100 BC), then passed down through Isaac (around 2066 BC). By the time of this event, Jacob’s family was established in the land of Canaan, and his devotion to Joseph is evidenced by the special robe he gave his son earlier in Genesis 37. Now, in his mourning, we witness a father whose world has seemingly collapsed under heartbreak.
The act of wearing sackcloth during mourning further demonstrates the cultural and spiritual significance of repentance, humility, and lament. This expression foreshadows many instances throughout Scripture when the people of Israel and even later believers would use physical symbols to convey contrition or deep grief (Joel 1:13). Ultimately, Jacob’s sorrow could be seen as a faint echo of the deep sorrow God experiences when His children stray away (Luke 15:20), though it also sets the stage for the redemptive reunion that will follow in Joseph’s story.
Set to dark mode
Genesis 37:34 meaning
Jacob, who lived around the early second millennium BC, receives tragic news that leads him to deep anguish in Genesis 37:34. When he believes his beloved son Joseph is gone, the verse states that “Jacob tore his clothes, and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days” (v.34). Tearing one’s clothes was a common cultural expression of profound distress in the ancient Near East. Here, we see Jacob’s heartbroken response as he puts on sackcloth, traditionally made of rough, coarse material, both to humble himself and to externalize the depth of his sorrow. His readiness to visibly bear this grief underscores the weight of his love for Joseph and his intense despair over losing him.
This fatherly mourning not only shows us the familial bonds within the patriarchal context but also highlights Jacob’s vulnerability as an aging man. Jacob, formerly known as Israel after wrestling with God (Genesis 32:28), stands at a pivotal stage in the biblical timeline. He was a central figure who had inherited the promise given to Abraham (around 2100 BC), then passed down through Isaac (around 2066 BC). By the time of this event, Jacob’s family was established in the land of Canaan, and his devotion to Joseph is evidenced by the special robe he gave his son earlier in Genesis 37. Now, in his mourning, we witness a father whose world has seemingly collapsed under heartbreak.
The act of wearing sackcloth during mourning further demonstrates the cultural and spiritual significance of repentance, humility, and lament. This expression foreshadows many instances throughout Scripture when the people of Israel and even later believers would use physical symbols to convey contrition or deep grief (Joel 1:13). Ultimately, Jacob’s sorrow could be seen as a faint echo of the deep sorrow God experiences when His children stray away (Luke 15:20), though it also sets the stage for the redemptive reunion that will follow in Joseph’s story.