Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 37:14
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.
14. the vale of Hebron ] The residence of Jacob; cf. Gen 35:27.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 14. Go – see whether it be well with thy brethren] Literally, Go, I beseech thee, and see the peace of thy brethren, and the peace of the flock. Go and see whether they are all in prosperity. See Clarke on Ge 37:4. As Jacob’s sons were now gone to feed the flock on the parcel of ground they had bought from the Shechemites, (see Ge 33:19,) and where they had committed such a horrible slaughter, their father might feel more solicitous about their welfare, lest the neighbouring tribes should rise against them, and revenge the murder of the Shechemites.
As Jacob appears to have been at this time in the vale of Hebron, it is supposed that Shechem was about sixty English miles distant from it, and that Dothan was about eight miles farther. But I must again advertise my readers that all these calculations are very dubious; for we do not even know that the same place is intended, as there are many proofs that different places went by the same names.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And he said to him, go, I pray thee,…. Or “now” k, directly, immediately, which is more agreeable to the authority of a father:
see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; it having been many days, and perhaps months, since he had heard anything of them; and the rather Jacob might be under a concern for them, because of the danger they were exposed to from the neighbouring tribes and nations of the Canaanites, on account of their having some time ago destroyed the Shechemites; so the Targum of Jonathan, paraphrasing on the preceding part, makes Jacob to say,
“I am afraid, lest the Horites should come and smite them, because of their smiting Hamor and Shechem, and the inhabitants of that city; come, and I will send thee, c.”
and bring me word again of their welfare, and of the state of their flocks:
so he sent him out of the vale of Hebron: the same with the plains of Mamre near the city of Hebron, which was built on a hill:
and he came to Shechem: after he had travelled sixty miles.
k “nunc”, Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Drusius.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(14) Whether it be well with thy brethren.Jacob might well fear lest the natives should form a confederacy against his sons, and take vengeance upon them for their cruelty. They were too fierce themselves to have any such alarm, but Jacob was of a far more timid disposition.
The vale of Hebron.The flocks and herds which formed the portion of Jacobs cattle which pastured nearest home, occupied the country immediately to the north of Hebron as far as the tower of Eder; but he would no doubt pitch his own tent as near as possible to that of his father
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Gen 37:14. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, &c. Hebron, where Jacob now dwelt, was at a considerable distance (sixty miles, according to Ainsworth) from Shechem, where Jacob having purchased some lands, ch. Gen 33:19. his sons, driving their flocks to pasture according to the custom from place to place, came thither to feed them: and Jacob, not having heard of them for some time, began to be solicitous about their welfare, as the remembrance of their behaviour towards the Shechemites, see ch. 34: could not fail to fill his mind with uneasy apprehensions. Joseph found them in Dothan, about eight miles north from Shechem: and thus the fond father himself furnished his sons with an opportunity to wreak their revenge on his favourite! so blind are men to events, which yet, as the consequence shewed, the Wisdom of Providence over-rules to the most important ends! Dr. Wall is of opinion, that this was not that Shechem where they had so lately murdered and robbed the people, and where they had been afraid of being pursued by their neighbours. The LXX make a difference in the spelling of that name and this; here it is, ; that Shechem they always call , and would have said, ; and the Vulgate generally observes the difference, but not always. That Shechem was more northward; this Shechem and Dothan, which must be nigh it, was in the way which the Ishmaelites took from Gilead to AEgypt.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Gen 37:14 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.
Ver. 14. Well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks. ] His first care is for the welfare of his children. Many a Laban is more solicitous of his flock than of his family. It were better being Herod’s swine than his son, said Augustus. Hawks and hounds are better tended and tutored in some great houses than children. Or if they be taught manners, and handsome behaviour, that is all that is cared for. But piety must be principally planted, where God’s blessing upon posterity is expected: the promise whereof is therefore’specially annexed to the second commandment. a
a Macrob.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
see whether it be well with: Heb. see the peace of thy brethren, etc. Gen 29:6, Gen 41:16, 1Sa 17:17, 1Sa 17:18, 2Sa 18:32, 1Ki 2:33, Psa 125:5, Jer 29:7, Luk 19:42
Hebron: Gen 23:2, Gen 35:27, Num 13:22, Jos 14:13, Jos 14:15
Reciprocal: Gen 13:18 – Hebron Gen 34:5 – now his Gen 43:27 – welfare Gen 44:28 – the one Jos 10:3 – Hebron Jos 17:7 – Shechem Jdg 18:15 – saluted him 1Sa 17:22 – saluted his brethren 2Sa 11:7 – how Joab did 2Ki 4:26 – Is it well with thee Est 2:11 – how Esther did