in the story of joseph, when the brothers are about to kill joseph, reuben tells them that instead of murdering him they should throw him into a big hole in the ground and leave him to die. but reuben secretly planned to rescue joseph and so when reuben came back to save joseph and found out that he had already been sold into slavery, reuben tore his clothes in mourning for joseph. and after simeon was jailed, reuben told his brothers that the lord was punishing them all for what they did to joseph.