Then they tore their clothes, and every man loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city.
Joseph heaps further kindnesses upon his brethren, fills their sacks, returns their money, and sends them away full of gladness; but he also exercises them with further trials. Our God thus humbles those whom he loves and loads with benefits.
Commenting on Genesis 44:1-17
Then they rent their clothes,.... In token of sorrow and distress, being at their wits' end, like distracted persons, not knowing what to do: this was usually done in the eastern countries when any evil befell, as did Jacob, Gen 37:34; and as the Egyptians themselves did when mourning for their dead, as Diodorus Siculus (q) relates: and laded every man his ass; put their...
Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city. (c) To show how greatly the thing displeased them and how sorry they were for it.