Genesis 37:14Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

This was carried out to disclose Joseph's love for his siblings as well as their intent to harm him.

After a brief period, the father urged the young man to visit his brothers. He consented willingly, got to his feet, and set out from the valley of Hebron. The father's directive inspired the beloved Joseph to travel to Shechem to check on his brothers, assessing their well-being and the condition of their flocks. Similarly, our Lord Jesus Christ was sent by God the Father to visit the Israelites, to determine their spiritual health and to see if the sheep entrusted to their oversight were being tended to correctly and remained within the guidance of their shepherds.

Jacob dispatched Joseph to the pastures to inquire about his brothers. * O God of Abraham, O God of Isaac, O God of Jacob, blessed God, who has selected the holy lineage of Your faithful servants, grant that the grace of the descendants may flow abundantly upon me, and that I may depict a radiant and glorious scene—the lovely Joseph, who was always the steadfast support of the patriarch Jacob in his later years. From his youth, Joseph symbolized the two advents of Christ: the first through the Virgin Mary and the second, which will inspire awe in everyone. Therefore, dear lovers of Christ, let us stand firm now, rejoicing in our spirits, as we reflect on the magnificent deeds of this exceptional youth.

Jacob anticipated the divine mystery of the Incarnation when he dispatched his son to check on his brothers and the wellbeing of the flock. What flock did God seek in the care of the patriarch, if not those of whom our Lord declared in the Gospel, ‘I have come only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel’? Moreover, it is recorded that he was sent to Shechem, meaning ‘shoulder’ or ‘back’, referring to those who had not turned toward the Lord but instead had turned away and fled from Him, which is a hallmark of sinners. Indeed, Cain distanced himself from the presence of God, and the prophet states, Thou shalt set their backs; conversely, the righteous individual does not turn away from the Lord but runs to Him, proclaiming, My eyes are always toward the Lord.

Jacob sent his son to express his concern for his siblings, just as God the Father sent His only Son to reach out to humanity, which was weakened by sin like lost sheep. Joseph journeyed into the wilderness seeking his brothers, and Christ sought after the human race that had strayed throughout the world: He took on the role of a wanderer to search for the lost. Joseph looked for his brothers in Shechem, a name that signifies 'back' or 'shoulder,' reflecting how sinners often turn their backs to the righteous, placing their shoulders away from the light. Just as Joseph's brothers, consumed by jealousy, turned away from him instead of facing brotherly love, so too did the misguided Jews choose envy over love for the Creator of their salvation who approached them. It is written in the Psalms, Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and their loins loosen forever (Psalm 68:24).

The compassionate father, concerned for his sons in Shechem, instructed his cherished son Joseph, "Go, my son, to your brothers and check on their well-being and the condition of the flocks, then return to me promptly." Joseph obeyed this directive and set off to deliver his father's message to his brothers; however, Benjamin, still a young lad, stayed behind with their father.

At times, parting occurs with surprising ease; when saying farewell, individuals often hardly seem to part ways at all. Such farewells can, sadly, lead to permanent separations, resulting in prolonged states of sorrow. When the elder allowed Joseph to depart, he was unaware that he would be without his cherished son for an extended period. Could he have foreseen that by sending Joseph to meet his brothers, he was inadvertently sending him into the hands of murderers? While he was aware of their animosity toward the young man, could he have imagined that their hatred would escalate into a sinister conspiracy and a resolve to commit fratricide?

Check on their well-being and other matters. Certain interpreters believe that Jacob remained worried about his sons' safety since the violence in Shechem had turned the Canaanites against them. Joseph is dispatched to his brothers and to tend to Jacob's flock, much like Jesus was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matt. 15:24).