Then they tore their clothes, and every man loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The brothers' act of tearing their clothes is not just a display of panic; it's a deeply symbolic admission that they are now bound by a shared guilt and a desperate need to return, not merely to placate Joseph, but to face the consequences of their past sins against their family. This outward show of grief reveals a profound inner turmoil and a dawning realization that their current predicament is intertwined with their original betrayal of Joseph.
Then they tore their clothes, and every man loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Having been caught in Joseph's deception, the brothers tear their clothes in despair and confusion, realizing the gravity of Benjamin's situation. They load their donkeys and head back toward Joseph's residence in the city, their hearts heavy with dread of facing their father without Benjamin.
Imagine the scene: the brothers, already stressed from their journey and the accusation of theft, suddenly realize the devastating implication of the cup found in Benjamin's sack. What does their physical reaction tell us about their internal state?
A Visible Sign of Inner Turmoil
When the brothers tear their clothes in Genesis 44:13, it's more than just an emotional outburst. This was a deeply ingrained cultural expression of profound grief, shock, and despair.
They've been cleared of stealing the money, and now this! Why would they turn back to the city instead of continuing their journey home?
Facing the Consequences Together
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The brothers' decision to return to the city, rather than continue their journey home, speaks volumes about their transformed hearts. It's a stark contrast to their earlier actions.
Understand the original words
qāra‘ · Hebrew Verb
The act of rending or tearing garments was a conventional sign of intense grief, mourning, distress, or repentance in ancient Near Eastern culture.
The tearing of clothes and return to the city signifies a moment of profound despair and a dramatic shift. It's the point where hope seems lost, and the brothers, overwhelmed by guilt and fear for Benjamin, must face Joseph again, utterly defeated.
c. 1720-1700 BC
Joseph sold into slavery
Joseph's brothers, out of jealousy, sell him to traders heading to Egypt, where he is later bought by Potiphar. This sets in motion the events leading to his rise to power.
c. 1700-1660 BC
Joseph's rise in Egypt
Joseph endures hardship and imprisonment but eventually interprets Pharaoh's dreams and becomes second-in-command of Egypt, tasked with managing the grain supply.
c. 1660 BC
Brothers arrive in Egypt for grain
A severe famine grips Canaan, forcing Jacob to send his ten sons (all except Benjamin) to Egypt to buy food. They encounter Joseph, whom they do not recognize.
c. 1660 BC
Joseph tests his brothers
Joseph, in disguise, accuses his brothers of being spies and demands they bring their youngest brother, Benjamin, to prove their honesty. He keeps Simeon captive.
c. 1660 BC
Brothers return to Egypt with Benjamin
After securing their father's reluctant permission, the brothers return to Egypt with Benjamin, bringing gifts and double the money. Joseph feasts them and treats them generously.
c. 1660 BC— this verse
The silver cup is found
Joseph orders his steward to hide his silver cup in Benjamin's sack. As the brothers depart, they are accused of theft, and the cup is discovered, leading to Benjamin's arrest.
c. 1660 BC
Judah's plea for Benjamin
Faced with Benjamin's impending enslavement, Judah passionately pleads with Joseph, offering himself as a substitute and revealing their father's deep love for Benjamin.
This passage describes Jacob's intense grief and tearing of his clothes upon believing Joseph was dead, mirroring the brothers' reaction here as they face another potential loss of a beloved sibling.
Job 1:20Job also rends his clothes and falls to the ground in profound distress and humility when facing immense suffering, showing a similar outward expression of soul-deep anguish and recognition of a higher power's hand.
Nehemiah 5:12The people are instructed to restore their goods and then to return with sincerity, much like the brothers loaded their donkeys and returned to the city, signifying an acknowledgment of wrong and a path toward resolution.
Jeremiah 3:1This verse speaks of returning to God after spiritual adultery, illustrating the theme of returning to a place or person after wrongdoing, akin to the brothers returning to Joseph in the city after being accused.
Matthew 27:51The tearing of clothes also occurs in the New Testament at Jesus' crucifixion, signifying a profound, earth-shattering event that evokes deep sorrow and awe, much like the crisis the brothers now face.
calvinGenesis 44:1-34: "And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man's money in his sack's mouth."
And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the youngest, and his corn money. And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.
Et scyphum meum, scyphum argenteum, pone in ore saccijunioris, et pecuniam alimenti ejus: et fecit secundum verbum Joseph, quod loquutus fuerat.
As soon as the mornin…
cambridgeGenesis 44:13: "Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city."
13 . rent their clothes ] See Genesis 37:29 .
The brothers' act of tearing their clothes is not just a display of panic; it's a deeply symbolic admission that they are now bound by a shared guilt and a desperate need to return, not merely to placate Joseph, but to face the consequences of their past sins against their family. This outward show of grief reveals a profound inner turmoil and a dawning realization that their current predicament is intertwined with their original betrayal of Joseph.
Having been caught in Joseph's deception, the brothers tear their clothes in despair and confusion, realizing the gravity of Benjamin's situation. They load their donkeys and head back toward Joseph's residence in the city, their hearts heavy with dread of facing their father without Benjamin.
Having been caught in Joseph's deception, the brothers tear their clothes in despair and confusion, realizing the gravity of Benjamin's situation. They load their donkeys and head back toward Joseph's residence in the city, their hearts heavy with dread of facing their father without Benjamin.
"Then they tore their clothes, and every man loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city." — The brothers' act of tearing their clothes is not just a display of panic; it's a deeply symbolic admission that they are now bound by a shared guilt and a desperate need to return, not merely to pla…
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Last reviewed October 2026