Genesis 37:12

Joseph Sold Into Slavery by his Brothers

12 Now his brothers went to pasture the flock of their father in Shechem.

Genesis 37:12 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 37:12

And his brethren went to feed their father's flock in
Shechem.
] Very probably some considerable time after the telling of the above dreams; it was usual to remove flocks from place to place for the sake of pasturage; and sometimes at a great distance, as Shechem was from Hebron, where Jacob now dwelt, said ^F9 to be about sixty miles; but this is not so much to be marvelled at as the place itself, whither they went, for though Jacob had bought a parcel of a field in this place, ( Genesis 33:19 ) ; which might be a reason for their going thither to feed their father's flocks in his own field; yet it was the place where they had committed a most outrageous action in destroying all, the males there, and therefore might fear the inhabitants of the neighbouring cities would rise upon them and cut them off.

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FOOTNOTES:

F9 Bunting's Travels, p. 79. Ainsworth in loc.

Genesis 37:12 In-Context

10 And he told [it] to his father and to his brothers. And his father rebuked him and said to him, "What [is] this dream that you have dreamed? Will I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the ground to you?"

11 And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter [in mind].

12 Now his brothers went to pasture the flock of their father in Shechem.

13 And Israel said to Joseph, "Are not your brothers pasturing in Shechem? Come, let me send you to them." And he said, "Here I [am]."

14 Then he said to him, "Go now, see {if it goes well for your brothers and for the flock}, then return word to me." And he sent him from the valley of Hebron, and he arrived at Shechem.