Genesis 37:12

Joseph Sold into Slavery

12 His brothers had gone to pasture their father's flocks at 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.


FOOTNOTES:

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

Genesis 37:12 In-Context

10 He told his father and brothers, but his father rebuked him. "What kind of dream is this that you have had?" he said. "Are your mother and brothers and I going to bow down to the ground before you?"
11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter [in mind].
12 His brothers had gone to pasture their father's flocks at Shechem.
13 Israel said to Joseph, "Your brothers, you know, are pasturing [the flocks] at Shechem. Get ready. I'm sending you to them." "I'm ready," Joseph replied.
14 Then Israel said to him, "Go and see how your brothers and the flocks are doing, and bring word back to me." So he sent him from the valley of Hebron, and he went to Shechem.
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