Genesis 37:29

When Reuben returned to the cistern and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes.

From Background Notes [BN] for Sept 13th & 14th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

The compensation did not help Reuben deal with the implications of what his brothers had done. They had insulted his authority as natural firstborn and acted in his absence and against his wishes.

Worse, he was now left with explaining this to his father: "The boy is gone, and I, where shall I go?" (37:30). His fears are realized as the brothers continue their deception by staining the royal robe with the blood of a goat. In returning it to Jacob, they make no verbal pretensions but simply want him to identify it as Joseph's. What happens here only underscores the dissension within Jacob's family, marked by disrespect toward both Reuben and their father, not to mention the horrible enslavement of Joseph. This was a badly divided family, deeply in need of restoration: brother to brother, son to father. Such is the great theme of the human condition in separation from God.  [BN,5]

Join us this week in Study, Worship, Praise and Celebration at Chicago First Church of the Nazarene:

* Saturday 6:00pm
* Sunday 8:30am & 11:00am