Jacob believes Joseph is dead. He tears his clothes, puts on sackcloth, and grieves. The text says all his sons and all his daughters try to comfort him, and he refuses.
Grief is permitted here. Not rushed through, not fixed. Jacob gets to be destroyed for a while.
When my son died from SIDS at six months old, I had people trying to comfort me immediately. 'He's in heaven.' 'God has a plan.' 'You can have other children.' I didn't want comfort. I wanted someone to sit with me in the devastation. This verse gave me permission for that. Jacob's refusal of comfort is the text's way of honoring the magnitude of the loss.
No comments yet. Be the first.