Joseph volunteers to check on his brothers, a gesture of faithfulness that sets the stage for God’s plan to preserve His chosen people.
Joseph’s father, Jacob, commissions Joseph with these words: “Then he said to him, ‘Go now and see about the welfare of your brothers and the welfare of the flock, and bring word back to me.’ So he sent him from the valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem” (v.14). These words illustrate Jacob’s concern for his other sons who were tending the family’s flocks, reflecting the familial responsibility in ancient Israel. Jacob deliberately commands Joseph to leave the valley of Hebron, an area in southern Canaan believed to have been settled during the early second millennium BC. Hebron played an important role in the narratives of the patriarchs, who lived around 2000-1800 BC. It was not just a random starting point; it was a place where Abraham, Isaac, and now Jacob had set up residence and worshipped God (Genesis 13:18). By dispatching Joseph from Hebron, Jacob also demonstrates that he trusts him to report back accurately and care for his family’s well-being.
The verse further says that Joseph “came to Shechem” (v.14). Shechem stands about fifty miles north of Hebron, centrally located in what would later become the tribal areas of Ephraim and Manasseh. Historically, Shechem was significant dating back to at least 1900 BC. Abraham once built an altar there to the Lord (Genesis 12:6-7), binding the land to God’s covenant promise. Joseph traveling to Shechem foreshadows future pivotal events for him and his family: this is where he will first search for his brothers, setting in motion the circumstances that eventually lead him to Egypt (Genesis 37:15-28). In these details, we see God’s sovereign orchestration, aligning the steps of Joseph’s journey toward a redemptive plan—one that would culminate in the salvation of many lives during a future famine (Genesis 50:20).
We also note Joseph’s respectful obedience, as he does not object but follows his father’s instructions wholeheartedly. This dynamic of fatherly sending and respectful obedience serves as a pointer to larger biblical themes, including how God the Father would one day send His own Son, Jesus, to seek out lost people (Luke 19:10). Joseph’s simple obedience becomes the thread that unravels the complicated tapestry of betrayal, suffering, and ultimate deliverance. Through one verse shining a light on this family errand, we sense the unfolding of God’s greater story of redemption that continues throughout Scripture.
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Genesis 37:14 meaning
Joseph’s father, Jacob, commissions Joseph with these words: “Then he said to him, ‘Go now and see about the welfare of your brothers and the welfare of the flock, and bring word back to me.’ So he sent him from the valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem” (v.14). These words illustrate Jacob’s concern for his other sons who were tending the family’s flocks, reflecting the familial responsibility in ancient Israel. Jacob deliberately commands Joseph to leave the valley of Hebron, an area in southern Canaan believed to have been settled during the early second millennium BC. Hebron played an important role in the narratives of the patriarchs, who lived around 2000-1800 BC. It was not just a random starting point; it was a place where Abraham, Isaac, and now Jacob had set up residence and worshipped God (Genesis 13:18). By dispatching Joseph from Hebron, Jacob also demonstrates that he trusts him to report back accurately and care for his family’s well-being.
The verse further says that Joseph “came to Shechem” (v.14). Shechem stands about fifty miles north of Hebron, centrally located in what would later become the tribal areas of Ephraim and Manasseh. Historically, Shechem was significant dating back to at least 1900 BC. Abraham once built an altar there to the Lord (Genesis 12:6-7), binding the land to God’s covenant promise. Joseph traveling to Shechem foreshadows future pivotal events for him and his family: this is where he will first search for his brothers, setting in motion the circumstances that eventually lead him to Egypt (Genesis 37:15-28). In these details, we see God’s sovereign orchestration, aligning the steps of Joseph’s journey toward a redemptive plan—one that would culminate in the salvation of many lives during a future famine (Genesis 50:20).
We also note Joseph’s respectful obedience, as he does not object but follows his father’s instructions wholeheartedly. This dynamic of fatherly sending and respectful obedience serves as a pointer to larger biblical themes, including how God the Father would one day send His own Son, Jesus, to seek out lost people (Luke 19:10). Joseph’s simple obedience becomes the thread that unravels the complicated tapestry of betrayal, suffering, and ultimate deliverance. Through one verse shining a light on this family errand, we sense the unfolding of God’s greater story of redemption that continues throughout Scripture.