John Calvin Commentary Genesis 42:36

"And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me." — Genesis 42:36 (ASV)

Me have ye bereaved. Jacob does not, indeed, openly accuse his sons of the crime of their brother’s murder; yet he is angry as if, two of his sons being already taken away, they were hastening to destroy the third. For he says that all these evils were falling on himself alone; because he does not think that they were affected as they ought to be, nor shared his grief with him, but were carelessly making light of the destruction of their brothers, as if they had no interest in their lives.

It seems, however, exceedingly barbarous that Reuben should offer his two sons to his father to be slain if he did not bring Benjamin back. Jacob might, indeed, slay his own grandchildren: what comfort, then, could he take in acting cruelly to his own flesh and blood? But this is what I previously alluded to, that they were suspected of having dealt treacherously toward Joseph; for which reason Reuben deemed it necessary to assuage his father’s fear, by such a vehement protestation; and to give this pledge, that he and his brothers were plotting nothing wicked against Benjamin.