Genesis 37:29

Summary

Reuben returns to the pit where Joseph had been placed and discovers that Joseph is no longer there. In response to this discovery, Reuben tears his own clothes, a physical action in the narrative sequence.

Key words

• va-yiShov ("and he returned", H7725G) — qal verb with narrative vav, marking the next sequential action in the story: Reuben's return to the pit.
• ha-Bor ("the pit", H0953A) — definite noun, masculine singular, identifying the specific location already established earlier in the narrative.
• hiNeh ("there!", H2009) — interjection that introduces a sudden realization or observation, drawing attention to what Reuben perceives upon arrival.
• 'ein-yoSef ("not Joseph", H0369 + H3130G) — the negative existential particle 'ein in construct form governs "Joseph," producing the sense "there is no Joseph" rather than a simple negated verb.
• va-yikRa' ("and he tore", H7167) — qal verb with narrative vav, the second main action of the verse, followed by the object marker 'et (H0853) and begaDav ("his clothes", H0899B) with the possessive suffix -o ("his").

What the text says

The verse is built on two narrative-vav clauses that advance the story in sequence: first va-yiShov ("and he returned"), then later va-yikRa' ("and he tore"). Between these two main verbs, the text inserts a non-verbal clause introduced by hiNeh ("there!") plus the existential negator 'ein construct with "Joseph" — literally "and behold, there-is-no Joseph in the pit." This construction with 'ein does not use a finite verb for "to be absent"; it employs a particle of non-existence attached to the noun, which some translations render as "was not" or "saw that Joseph was not there," but the Hebrew itself lacks a verb of seeing or perceiving at this point — the perception is conveyed only through the interjection hiNeh.

The direct object marker 'et (H0853) before begaDav ("his clothes") marks the grammatical object of va-yikRa' ("and he tore"), with the possessive suffix -o indicating the clothes belong to the subject of the tearing action, Reuben.

Differences between versions

The LXX renders the hiNeh + 'ein construction with a verb of perception, οὐχ ὁρᾷ ("he does not see"), introducing sight explicitly where the Hebrew uses only the interjection hiNeh and the negator 'ein without a perception verb. The BSB and SBLIBRE similarly add "saw that," a verb not present in the Hebrew clause. The Vulgate (VULCLEM) as quoted only extends to "non invenit puerum" ("he did not find the boy"), using a verb of finding not present in the Hebrew, and the provided Vulgate text stops before the clause about tearing garments, so no comparison is possible for that portion. The Hebrew 'ein construct construction is a non-verbal existential negation, distinct from the verbal "did not find" or "does not see" used in the Vulgate and LXX respectively.