Why did Israel send Joseph to his brothers in Genesis 37:13 despite their animosity? TEXT OF THE EVENT (Genesis 37:13–14) “Israel said to Joseph, ‘Are not your brothers grazing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.’ ‘Here I am,’ he replied. Then Israel told him, ‘Go now and see how your brothers and the flocks are faring, and bring word back to me.’” Historical-Geographical Backdrop Shechem (modern Tell Balata) lies roughly 50 mi / 80 km north of Hebron, a three- to four-day trek for a lone traveler. Archaeological layers at Tell Balata show continuous Middle Bronze habitation—a perfect fit for the patriarchal period in a conservative, Ussher-style chronology (ca. 1898 BC for Joseph’s seventeenth year). Cuneiform tablets from the Amarna corpus (EA 287, EA 289) list Šakmu (Shechem) as a major pastoral hub, corroborating Genesis’ picture of flocks pastured there. Paternal Responsibility And Concern Jacob’s words “see how your brothers and the flocks are faring” reveal a standard patriarchal audit. Ancient Near-Eastern texts (e.g., the Mari letters) often show household heads dispatching a trusted son to inspect livestock holdings. Jacob likely sought: 1. A welfare report after Simeon and Levi’s massacre of Shechem’s men (Genesis 34), which could have stirred local hostility toward his own shepherds. 2. A productivity report: pasture conditions around Shechem are lush in early spring but dry out quickly; fathers typically reassigned grazing areas if forage declined. Joseph, the firstborn of Rachel and legal heir of the birthright (1 Chronicles 5:1–2), was simply the logical emissary. Perceived Intensity Of The Brothers’ Animosity Genesis twice notes the brothers’ hatred (37:4, 8) yet never states that Jacob grasped its lethal potential. Like many parents, he saw rivalry but underestimated its danger—a phenomenon confirmed by modern family-systems research: frequent exposure to conflict often dulls risk perception (cf. Murray Bowen, Family Therapy in Clinical Practice, chap. 3). Jacob may have believed time and distance had cooled tempers after the robe incident. Cultural Norm: Younger Son As Courier Parallels abound: • 1 Samuel 17:17 – Jesse sends David with provisions to his brothers at the battlefront. • Job 1:4–5 – Job dispatches messages to check on banqueting sons. In pastoral patriarchal culture, a younger, agile son customarily shuttled information, freeing senior sons for heavy labor. Divine Providence Unfolding Joseph’s dreams (37:5–11) already predicted elevation. Jacob “kept the matter in mind” (37:11), perhaps sensing a larger divine script. By sending Joseph, the father unwittingly set the precise chain of events that would: • Move Joseph to Egypt (sold in 37:28). • Preserve Jacob’s line during famine (45:5–7). • Fulfill God’s promise to Abraham of sojourn and deliverance (15:13–14). Joseph later interprets the moment theologically: “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good” (50:20, cf. Romans 8:28). Typological Foreshadowing Of The Gospel The beloved son sent by the father, rejected by his own, sold for pieces of silver (37:28), and yet becoming their savior, mirrors the greater sending of the Father’s Son (John 3:16; Mark 12:6–8). Early church writers (e.g., Irenaeus, Against Heresies 4.18.3) highlight Joseph as a Christ-type; the correspondence reinforces Trinitarian continuity and underscores why Jacob’s act must occur exactly as narrated. Practical Applications For Today 1. Parental Due Diligence: Shepherd hearts must gauge sibling dynamics honestly, confronting sin rather than minimizing it. 2. Trusting Providence: Obedience in small errands can position believers in God’s grand redemptive plan. 3. Typological Awareness: Seeing Christ in Joseph strengthens confidence that Scripture, from Genesis forward, proclaims one coherent gospel. Conclusion Israel sent Joseph because responsible fathers checked on distant flocks, because he trusted his favored son’s reliability, and because—above all—God was orchestrating a salvific storyline. Jacob’s mundane commission became the hinge on which national deliverance, messianic typology, and divine glory would turn. |
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