Reuben returned to the pit, but Joseph was not there. In alarm and self-reproach he rent his garments, and sought his brothers, exclaiming, "The child is not; and I, whither shall I go?" Upon learning the fate of Joseph, and that it would now be impossible to recover him, Reuben was induced to unite with the rest in the attempt to conceal their guilt. Having killed a kid, they dipped Joseph's coat in its blood, and took it to their father, telling him that they had found it in the fields, and that they feared it was their brother's. "Know now," they said, "whether it be thy son's coat or no." They had looked forward to this scene with dread, but they were not prepared for the heart-rending anguish, the utter abandonment of grief, which they were compelled to witness. "It is my son's coat," said Jacob; "an evil beast hath devoured him. Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces." Vainly his sons and daughters attempted to comfort him. He "rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days." Time seemed to bring no alleviation of his grief. "I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning," was his despairing cry. The young men, terrified at what they had done, yet dreading their father's reproaches, still hid in their own hearts the knowledge of their guilt, which even to themselves seemed very great.

Da Ruben vendte tilbage til cisternen, var Josef der ikke mere. Han sønderrev sine klæder i forfærdelse og selvbebrejdelse. "Drengen er borte! Hvad skal jeg dog gøre!" Da han hørte om Josefs skæbne og forstod, at det var umuligt at skaffe ham tilbage, blev han tilskyndet til sammen med de andre at søge at skjule deres skyld. Da de havde dræbt et gedekid, dyppede de Josefs kjortel i dets blod og sendte den hjem til deres fader med den besked, at de havde fundet den på marken, og at de frygtede for, at det var deres broders. "Se efter, om det ikke er din søns kjortel!" sagde de. De havde set frem til dette øjeblik med frygt, men de var ikke forberedt på den hjerteskærende fortvivlelse, den trøstesløse sorg, som de blev vidne til. "Det er min søns kjortel!" sagde Jakob. "Et vildt dyr har ædt ham! Josef er visselig revet ihjel!" Forgæves søgte hans sønner og døtre at trøste ham. Han sønderrev "sine klæder og bandt sæk om sine lænder, og han sørgede over sin søn i mange dage". Tiden syntes ikke at mildne hans sorg "I min sørgedragt vil jeg stige ned til min søn i dødsriget!" var hans fortvivlede råb. De unge var forfærdede over det, de havde gjort, men de frygtede deres faders bebrejdelser og skjulte deres viden om deres skyld, der selv i deres øjne var meget stor.