Genesis 37:12

12 And his brethren went to feed the sheep of their father to Sychem.

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 his father rebuked him, and said to him, What is this dream which thou hast dreamed? shall indeed both I and thy mother and thy brethren come and bow before thee to the earth?

11 And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.

12 And his brethren went to feed the sheep of their father to Sychem.

13 And Israel said to Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed their flock in Sychem? Come, I will send thee to them; and he said to him, Behold, I .

14 And Israel said to him, Go and see if thy brethren and the sheep are well, and bring me word; and he sent him out of the valley of Chebron, and he came to Sychem.