Genesis 37:16

16 And he answered, I seek my brethren; show thou to me where they keep their flocks. (And he answered, I am looking for my brothers; tell thou to me where they tend their flocks.)

Genesis 37:16 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 37:16

And he said, I seek my brethren
Whom, no doubt, he described to the man, and told him who they were, and to whom they belonged; or otherwise the man would have been at a loss to know who he meant, and what further to say to him, and without which Joseph would never have made the following request to him:

tell me, I pray thee, where they feed [their flocks];
in what part of the country they are, what field they are in, how far to it, and which the way.

Genesis 37:16 In-Context

14 Israel said, Go thou, and see whether all things be wellsome with thy brethren, and (with) the sheep; and (then come back, and) tell thou to me what is done. (And so) He was sent from the valley of Hebron, and came into Shechem;

15 and a man found him erring in the field (and a man found him wandering in a field), and the man asked him, what he sought.

16 And he answered, I seek my brethren; show thou to me where they keep their flocks. (And he answered, I am looking for my brothers; tell thou to me where they tend their flocks.)

17 And the man said to him, They went away from this place; forsooth I heard them saying, Go we into Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan.

18 And when they had seen him afar (off), before he nighed to them, they thought to slay him (they decided to kill him),