“And he recognized it and said, “It is my son’s tunic. A wild beast has devoured him. Without doubt (and yet there ought to be doubt!) Joseph is torn to pieces.” (Notice how Jacob quickly makes precisely the assumption that Joseph’s brothers would have him make; no doubt prompted by the enemy in the hopes that Jacob will take his own life [see Jacob’s despairing of life itself in the phrase “For I shall go down into the grave to my son in mourning” below] having now lost both his most beloved wife and most beloved son. Also note how the Lord allows for him to be deceived in this way, yet does not allow for him to perish.) Then Jacob (I cannot help but notice that the inspired writer of the Scriptures here reverts back to Israel’s old name – could this be because all his thoughts, words, and actions are here the result of a cruel deception, not unlike the deception he himself propagated in days of old as ‘he who deceives’ aka ‘Jacob’. It might also allude to the fact that this is not the type of situation that God envisioned for his people “Israel” – a chosen race He does not wish to be forever associated with such hatred, envy, violence and deception) tore his clothes, (notice how both the eldest son, Reuben, and the father, Jacob, here reacted similarly to what they believed to be Joseph’s demise) put sackcloth on his waist, and mourned for his son many days. And all his sons (imagine the torment to their souls knowing what they have done! in fact I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that Reuben decided not to return to their father’s house for many days 😟) 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. (Notice how two fathers of the Faith – first Abraham and now Jacob – represent God the Father: sharing in His suffering in their having to endure giving up their most beloved son as He did. At the same time the other Father of the Faith, Isaac, and Israel’s son, Joseph, represent the Lord Jesus in being sacrificed unto [near-] death as the beloved Son.) (Meanwhile in Joseph’s new season : ) Now the Midianites (or “Medianites”) had sold him (twice now young Joseph has been sold as a mere object, as livestock, a beast of burden as it were 😓) in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard.” (And yet, slowly but surely God’s Divine Purposes [see Proverbs 19:21] are being fulfilled as Joseph comes ever nearer his ultimate place of influence; here already astonishingly close to Pharoah himself. But first, just like the Lord Jesus, he must learn obedience through what he suffers [see Hebrews 5:8], increasing in wisdom, maturity, character and perseverance until he is able to take his rightful place at the right hand of the King . . . 😊)

“³³And he recognised it and said, “It is my son’s tunic. A wild beast has devoured him. Without doubt Joseph is torn to pieces.” ³⁴Then Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth on his waist, and mourned for his son many days. ³⁵And 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.

³⁶Now the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharoah and captain of the guard.”

– Genesis 37:33-36 (NKJV)