“And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.” Genesis 37:14.

(Note that “Genesis 37:14” is a reference to the Bible, which is a collection of books. In the Bible, each book consists of one or more chapters, and each chapter has numbered sections called verses. The quotation above referred to as “Genesis 37:14” is taken from the book of Genesis in the Bible, the 37^th chapter, and the 14^th verse.)

In this post we will explore both the literal and symbolic meanings of our Bible verse of focus, Genesis 37:14.

The Promised Land

“The LORD [God] made a covenant with Abram [Abraham], saying, Unto thy seed [descendants] have I given this land, from the river of Egypt [Nile River] unto the great river, the river Euphrates.” Genesis 15:18. This vast territory was the “the land of promise” (Hebrews 11:9), the Promised Land. It was eventually conquered by Israel’s king David and ruled over by his son, king Solomon.

However, prior to this when Israel’s leaders, Moses and Joshua, initially conquered the land, their territory, Palestine, was only a part of the land promised to Abraham. Palestine’s boundaries in Bible times were “the entrance of Hamath” (Numbers 34:8) in the Orontes valley on the north and the desert of the Sinai Peninsula on the south. Its western boundary was the Mediterranean Sea and its eastern boundary was the Arabian Desert.

Today, in the twenty-first century, the Palestine of Bible times consists of what is now known as Israel and parts of Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan.

Palestine: Vegetation

Palestine today’s barren and rocky mountain country was once widely covered with thick forests of oak and evergreens. This deforestation is due to those nations that settled in Palestine and burned down forests in order to obtain space for agriculture and for settlements. It is also due to the cruel warlords who invaded the country and cut down its forests and orchards alike.

Where dense woods grew, they left no open space for underbrush and so no pasturage was possible.

Since Palestine is a mountainous country, once the trees were felled or burned, the soil washed off the mountain slopes, exposing limestone rock in large areas. Furthermore, the raising of sheep, and especially of goats, in this area has prevented the regrowth of these forests.

Palestine: Climate

There are only two seasons in Palestine, a dry season in summer and a wet season in summer. The summer in Palestine is so dry and hot, with no rain from June to September, that during that time all vegetation withers and the whole country takes on a dead and desert-like appearance.

Yet a great transformation of the whole country takes place after the rains start. The whole country suddenly comes to life, and out of every crevice of the ground spring up flowers, and dead brown grass turns lush and green with almost unbelievable speed.

Pasturage in Palestine

When Abraham entered the land of Palestine, the land was already occupied by the Canaanites. Since the mountains of Canaan were heavily wooded, there was scant permanent grazing land for the large flocks and herds of the newcomers. In addition, there was sometimes a scarcity of water as well.

Similarly, Abraham’s son, Isaac, was prosperous and head of a large household and he kept extensive flocks and herds. Isaac found that there was competition in the land for the limited water supply of the region.

Isaac’s son, Jacob, also became prosperous and had large flocks and herds which necessitated his moving them from place to place to find pasture.

Animal Husbandry in Ancient Israel

Animal husbandry was a main source of livelihood for the people of Israel.

Cattle were used for plowing, threshing, and transport such as pulling a wagon. Goats supplied hair for making a cloth for tents and garments. Their skins were used as leather for making flasks for water, wine, and oil. Goat’s milk was drunk as was also churned into butter and used to make cheese.

Sheep were of the fat tail variety in which the tail may weigh up to 11 pounds. Sheep were sheared of their wool to make cloth for garments.

The flesh of sheep, goats, and cattle was eaten as meat. Sheep, goats, and cattle were used in the sacrificial rites of the sanctuary.

Donkeys, called asses in the Bible, were used to carry loads and for riding. Mules, the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse, were used for carrying loads. Camels were ridden and they were prized for their ability to endure the severe conditions of the desert. A camel could travel some 60 to 90 miles a day and carry a load of up to 500 pounds.

Jacob and His Sons

Jacob had twelve sons of whom Joseph was his eleventh son. “And he [Jacob] said to him [Joseph], Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.” Genesis 37:14.

Thus, Jacob sent Joseph to check on the welfare of his brothers and the flocks and to return to his father with a report.

“And a certain man found him [Joseph], and, behold, he was wandering in the field: and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou? And he said, I seek my brethren: tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their flocks.” Genesis 37:15, 16.

“And the man said, They are departed hence; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan.” Genesis 37:17. Such was the life of Jacob’s family. They  moved from the flocks from place to place in order to find pasturage for their food.

This then is the literal meaning of Genesis 37:14.

Spirituality

“Jesus…said…Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3. “The wind bloweth where it listeth [wishes], and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the [Holy] Spirit.” John 3:8.

To be “born again” (John 3:3) is to be “justified by faith.” Romans 5:1. This means “that ye [have] put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and [have been]…renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye [have] put on the new man, which after God” (Ephesians 4:24), according to God’s character of love, “is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Ephesians 4:22-24.

That is, it has come to pass that as “saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people.” Hebrews 8:10. Hence, such persons are “spiritually minded [which] is [eternal] life and peace.” Romans 8:6.

Taught by God

“They shall be all [humanity] taught of God” (John 6:45) and they “shall he [God] teach in the way that he shall choose.” Psalm 25:12. Justified individuals are those who “have…learned Christ…[who] have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus.” Ephesians 4:20, 21.

Therefore, the justified “walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.” Colossians 1:10. They are fully qualified by God to be “teachers of…[God’s] law” (1 Timothy 1:7) of love. Such are true Christians, true followers of Jesus Christ.

Given Utterance by God

God says, “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles [sayings] of God” (1 Peter 4:11), not “speaking thine own words” (Isaiah 58:13); “if any man minister [teach], let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 4:11.

For God says to the justified, “Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.” Jeremiah 1:9. “Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.” Exodus 4:12.

So, the justified may say of themselves in truth, “Utterance” (Ephesians 6:19), “sound speech, that cannot be condemned” (Titus 2:8) has been, “given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel.” Ephesians 6:19. What is the gospel? It is God’s plan to save humanity from eternal death for their evil and wrongdoing, that is, for their sins, and instead give them eternal life.

Sent by God

To all Christians, God says, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature [person].” Mark 16:15.

“Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” Matthew 10:16. “For…[you] wrestle not against flesh and blood” (Ephesians 6:12), against human beings, “but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Ephesians 6:12. In other words, Christians have to contend with Satan and his “evil angels” (Psalm 78:49) in their work of preaching the gospel.

Christians then must beware of deviating from the right path and sinning with the result that they lose eternal life. For Jesus Christ said, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 7:21.

Spreading the Gospel

Christians should say to unbelievers, those not yet justified by God, “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.” 2 Corinthians 5:20.

“How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” (Romans 10:15), God says. In this way, by preaching the gospel, we can cause God to delight in us.

Discipleship

Christians can say in truth, We “thank…God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” 1 Thessalonians 2:13.

Such a Christian is an effective “evangelist.” 2 Timothy 4:5. They are successful preachers of the gospel, for they have caused others to become disciples of Christ, to become genuine Christians. To all Christians, God says, “One is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.” Matthew 23:8.

Requirements for Christian Leaders

As the Master of all Christians, God gives a command to Christian leaders, saying, “Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre [money], but of a ready mind; neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples [examples] to the flock.” 1 Peter 5:2, 3. Thus, God likens a group of Christians to a flock of sheep.

Just as sheep need to be cared for by providing them with food and water, so the body of Christians need care. Christian leaders should feed their fellow Christians with spiritual food, which is “the word of God.” 1 Thessalonians 2:13

Why? “For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12, 13), unto the full degree of the holiness of Christ.

Symbolic Meaning of Genesis 37:14

As watchmen then, Christians leaders are to constantly be on guard to “see whether it be well with…[their] brethren, and well with the flocks.” Genesis 37:14. To see whether or not the “the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12) are sound, growing Christians.

Our Bible verse of focus says: “So he sent him out of the vale [valley] of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.” Genesis 37:14. Figuratively then, God sends Christian leaders, His “overseers” (Acts 20:28), to visit His people wherever they may be found that the leaders may “know the state of…[the] flocks, and look well to…[care for the] herds.” Proverbs 27:23.

That is, Christian leaders should visit believers in Christ so that they as leaders may know the spiritual condition of God’s people and take measures to “feed”, to nourish, them as is necessary.

So, we can now see the symbolic meaning of Genesis 37:14.

How This Blog Teaches Bible Study

My blog posts take one or more Bible verses and unpack what is often the hidden meaning in them, to help you to gain in your understanding of the Bible, and to receive insights into how to study it. For God says, “Study [the Bible] to shew [show] thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing [interpreting] the word of truth [the Bible].” 2 Timothy 2:15. There are new blog posts every two weeks on a Monday at 12:01 a.m. in timezone UTC-5 (GMT-5).

Further Reading

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