Genesis 37:12

12 His brothers had gone to take care of 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 When he told his father and his brothers, his father criticized him by asking, "What's this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers come and bow down in front of you?"
11 So his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept thinking about these things.
12 His brothers had gone to take care of their father's flocks at Shechem.
13 Israel then said to Joseph, "Your brothers are taking care of the flocks at Shechem. I'm going to send you to them." Joseph responded, "I'll go."
14 So Israel said, "See how your brothers and the flocks are doing, and bring some news back to me." Then he sent Joseph away from the Hebron Valley. When Joseph came to Shechem,
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