Genesis 37:13-14
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Jacob sends Joseph to check on his brothers, but the text hints that this mission is more than just a familial inquiry. It's a pivotal moment where Jacob, perhaps unknowingly, sets Joseph on the path that fulfills his prophetic dreams, despite the growing danger from his envious siblings.
And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.” And he said to him, “Here I am.” So he said to him, “Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock, and bring me word.” So he sent him from the Valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jacob, wanting to know how his sons were faring with their flocks, sends Joseph to check on them in Shechem. This mission, however, comes shortly after Joseph's dreams and his brothers' growing hatred and envy, setting the stage for his betrayal. The brothers, already resentful of Joseph's favored status and dreams of superiority, will soon see this errand as an opportunity to get rid of him.
Why did Jacob send Joseph on such a dangerous errand? Was it a lapse in judgment or a deliberate act of faith?
Jacob, known as Israel, sends Joseph to find his brothers who are pasturing flocks at Shechem. This wasn't just a casual request; it was a father entrusting his favorite son with a significant mission.
A Father's Concern
Jacob was likely concerned about his sons' well-being. Shechem was a place where they had previously encountered trouble (Genesis 34), and sending Joseph might have been an attempt to check on them or even facilitate reconciliation.
A Son's Readiness
Joseph's immediate response, "Here I am," reveals his obedient and willing spirit. Despite the known tensions with his brothers, he didn't hesitate. This sets the stage for his journey, which will test his faith and obedience in ways he can't yet imagine.
Joseph's journey to Shechem is fraught with danger due to his brothers' hatred. How does God weave this into His larger plan?
The narrative highlights the stark contrast between human intentions and God's divine orchestration. Joseph's brothers already harbor deep envy and hatred towards him, making this mission incredibly perilous.
Human Malice vs. Divine Purpose
While the brothers' hearts are filled with malice, the text subtly reveals God's providential hand guiding the events. Jacob's decision to send Joseph, Joseph's obedience, and even the brothers' actions are all being used by God.
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Setting the Stage for Greater Things
This seemingly simple errand is a pivotal moment. It directly leads to Joseph being sold into slavery, an event that ultimately places him in a position to save his family from famine. God uses the brothers' wicked intentions to fulfill His redemptive purposes.
Understand the original words
Yisra'el · Hebrew Proper Noun
In the context of the patriarchs, this is the name given to Jacob by God, representing the covenant lineage. It signifies the identity of the person as one who struggles or prevails with God.
hinneni · Hebrew Interjection/Phrase
A Hebrew idiomatic expression (hinneni) indicating total availability, readiness to serve, and submission to the authority or request of another. It signifies one's attentiveness and obedient spirit.
shalom · Hebrew Noun
A term (shalom) denoting completeness, soundness, welfare, peace, and health. It implies not just the absence of conflict but a state of wholeness and prosperity under God's favor.
Chebron · Hebrew Proper Noun
A place associated with the ancestors of Israel; historically significant as the site of burial for the patriarchs and a center of early covenant history. It suggests a place of established roots and divine promise.
Jacob's decision to send Joseph to his brothers in Shechem, though seemingly a simple request to check on them, is the pivotal moment that triggers the fulfillment of Joseph's dreams and his subsequent enslavement. This act, driven by paternal affection and perhaps a desire for reconciliation, ignites the envy of his brothers and sets in motion the divine plan for the family's migration to Egypt.
c. 1750 BC
Jacob settles in Canaan
Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, returns to Canaan after living in Haran. He establishes his family and flocks in the land, living a nomadic life.
c. 1735 BC
Joseph born
Joseph is born to Jacob and Rachel, becoming the eleventh son and Jacob's favorite, especially as he is the son of his old age.
c. 1718 BC
Joseph's dreams revealed
Joseph, now 17 years old, has dreams that predict his dominance over his brothers and parents, leading to intense hatred and envy from his siblings.
c. 1718 BC— this verse
Brothers' plot against Joseph
While Joseph's brothers are tending flocks near Shechem, Jacob sends Joseph to check on them. They see him approaching and conspire to kill him, eventually selling him into slavery.
c. 1718 BC
Joseph sold to Ishmaelites
Joseph is sold to a caravan of Ishmaelite traders heading for Egypt. His brothers deceive their father, Jacob, into believing Joseph was killed by a wild animal.
c. 1718 BC
Joseph arrives in Egypt
Joseph is sold in Egypt to Potiphar, a captain of Pharaoh's guard, marking the beginning of his enslavement and subsequent rise to power.
This passage sets the stage for Joseph's journey, detailing the love Jacob had for Joseph, the coat of many colors, and the dreams that fueled his brothers' hatred and envy.
Genesis 41:1-57This chapter shows the fulfillment of Joseph's dreams and his rise to power in Egypt, demonstrating God's sovereign plan through seemingly tragic events and confirming the divine origin of Joseph's visions.
Job 5:11-12This passage speaks to God's ability to exalt the humble and bring confusion to the schemes of the shrewd, mirroring Joseph's situation where his brothers' wicked plans ultimately led to his exaltation.
Proverbs 19:21This verse states that many are the plans in the heart of a man, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails, directly reflecting the conflict between the brothers' murderous intentions and God's ultimate plan for Joseph.
Matthew 2:13-18This passage recounts the flight to Egypt and the slaughter of the innocents, showing a parallel of a beloved son being sent away due to the plots of powerful men, highlighting God's protective hand even amidst great danger.
calvinGenesis 37:1-36: "And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan."
These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.
Istae sunt generationes Iahacob. Joseph filius septendecim annorum pascebat cum fratribus suis pecudes, et erat puer cum filiis Bil…
jfbGenesis 37:5-36: "And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more."
Ge 37:5-36. The Dreams of Joseph.5. Joseph dreamed a dream—Dreams in ancient times were much attended to, and hence the dream of Joseph, though but a mere boy, engaged the serious consideration of his family. But this dream was evidently symbolical. The meaning was easily discerned, and, from its being repeated under different emblems, the fulfilment was considered certain (compare Ge 41…
Jacob sends Joseph to check on his brothers, but the text hints that this mission is more than just a familial inquiry. It's a pivotal moment where Jacob, perhaps unknowingly, sets Joseph on the path that fulfills his prophetic dreams, despite the growing danger from his envious siblings.
Jacob, wanting to know how his sons were faring with their flocks, sends Joseph to check on them in Shechem. This mission, however, comes shortly after Joseph's dreams and his brothers' growing hatred and envy, setting the stage for his betrayal. The brothers, already resentful of Joseph's favored status and dreams of superiority, will soon see this errand as an opportunity to get rid of him.
Jacob, wanting to know how his sons were faring with their flocks, sends Joseph to check on them in Shechem. This mission, however, comes shortly after Joseph's dreams and his brothers' growing hatred and envy, setting the stage for his betrayal. The brothers, already resentful of Joseph's favored status and dreams of superiority, will soon see this errand as an opportunity to get rid of him.
"And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.” And he said to him, “Here I am.” So he said to him, “Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock, and bri…" — Jacob sends Joseph to check on his brothers, but the text hints that this mission is more than just a familial inquiry. It's a pivotal moment where Jacob, perhaps unknowingly, sets Joseph on the path…
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Last reviewed October 2026
