Joseph’s willingness to heed his father’s call demonstrates a faithful heart that God will later use to preserve the nation of Israel.
“Then Israel said to Joseph, ‘Are not your brothers pasturing the flock in Shechem? Come, and I will send you to them.’ And he said to him, ‘I will go.’” (v.13) Joseph’s father, Israel—formerly known as Jacob, who was born around 2006 BC and lived until around 1859 BC—calls upon his beloved son with a mission. Israel’s question highlights the family’s livelihood: tending flocks in the region of Shechem. Shechem itself sits in the land that would later be within the boundaries of Manasseh, situated in a valley between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim. Its location provided fertile pastures for grazing, making it a logical place for shepherding in ancient Canaan. By this time in history, Joseph, born around 1914 BC, is about seventeen years old, and his obedience to his father’s request underscores his faithful character.
“Are not your brothers pasturing the flock in Shechem?” (v.13) also suggests tension, because Joseph’s brothers were known to nurse a growing jealousy toward him (Genesis 37:4). Shechem, while agriculturally rich, also had a person-to-person history that included betrayal and strife in the family’s past (Genesis 34). Israel might have been concerned about their welfare, leading him to entrust Joseph with checking on them. Joseph’s response—“I will go.” (v.13)—demonstrates a willing heart, an attitude echoed throughout Scripture of those who are sent on important journeys (Isaiah 6:8). This willingness foreshadows far-reaching consequences that will ultimately lead Joseph to Egypt, paving the way for a greater story of salvation that parallels, in a distant way, Jesus’s own mission sent by the Father (John 3:16).
By consenting with a simple, “I will go,” Joseph shows us the power of obedience and trust in God’s unfolding plan. Even in the ordinary task of looking after siblings, the Lord can weave extraordinary outcomes. Joseph’s future rescue of his entire family from famine highlights how one faithful response can ripple through generations. His father, Israel, trusting him with this assignment in Shechem is the first step in a grand narrative of deliverance, much like how future obedience to God’s call can bring about blessings for many.
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Genesis 37:13 meaning
“Then Israel said to Joseph, ‘Are not your brothers pasturing the flock in Shechem? Come, and I will send you to them.’ And he said to him, ‘I will go.’” (v.13) Joseph’s father, Israel—formerly known as Jacob, who was born around 2006 BC and lived until around 1859 BC—calls upon his beloved son with a mission. Israel’s question highlights the family’s livelihood: tending flocks in the region of Shechem. Shechem itself sits in the land that would later be within the boundaries of Manasseh, situated in a valley between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim. Its location provided fertile pastures for grazing, making it a logical place for shepherding in ancient Canaan. By this time in history, Joseph, born around 1914 BC, is about seventeen years old, and his obedience to his father’s request underscores his faithful character.
“Are not your brothers pasturing the flock in Shechem?” (v.13) also suggests tension, because Joseph’s brothers were known to nurse a growing jealousy toward him (Genesis 37:4). Shechem, while agriculturally rich, also had a person-to-person history that included betrayal and strife in the family’s past (Genesis 34). Israel might have been concerned about their welfare, leading him to entrust Joseph with checking on them. Joseph’s response—“I will go.” (v.13)—demonstrates a willing heart, an attitude echoed throughout Scripture of those who are sent on important journeys (Isaiah 6:8). This willingness foreshadows far-reaching consequences that will ultimately lead Joseph to Egypt, paving the way for a greater story of salvation that parallels, in a distant way, Jesus’s own mission sent by the Father (John 3:16).
By consenting with a simple, “I will go,” Joseph shows us the power of obedience and trust in God’s unfolding plan. Even in the ordinary task of looking after siblings, the Lord can weave extraordinary outcomes. Joseph’s future rescue of his entire family from famine highlights how one faithful response can ripple through generations. His father, Israel, trusting him with this assignment in Shechem is the first step in a grand narrative of deliverance, much like how future obedience to God’s call can bring about blessings for many.