Genesis 37:34

34 Ya'akov tore his clothes and, putting sackcloth around his waist, mourned his son for many days.

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 Then they sent the long-sleeved robe and brought it to their father, saying, "We found this. Do you know if it's your son's robe or not?"

33 He recognized it and cried, "It's my son's robe! Some wild animal has torn Yosef in pieces and eaten him!"

34 Ya'akov tore his clothes and, putting sackcloth around his waist, mourned his son for many days.

35 Though all his sons and daughters tried to comfort him, he refused all consolation, saying, "No, I will go down to the grave, to my son, mourning." And his father wept for him.

36 In Egypt the Midyanim sold Yosef to Potifar, one of Pharaoh's officials, a captain of the guard.