What are you seeking?

What are you seeking?

Genesis 37: ¹² Then his brothers went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem. ¹³ And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers feeding the flock in Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.”

So he said to him, “Here I am.”

¹⁴ Then he said to him, “Please go and see if it is well with your brothers and well with the flocks, and bring back word to me.” So he sent him out of the Valley of Hebron, and he went to Shechem.

¹⁵ Now a certain man found him, and there he was, wandering in the field. And the man asked him, saying, “What are you seeking?”

¹⁶ So he said, “I am seeking my brothers. Please tell me where they are feeding their flocks.”

¹⁷ And the man said, “They have departed from here, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’ ” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them in Dothan.

 

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After telling his father and brothers his dream, Joseph was left alone with Israel. He spoke to Joseph, telling him to go see what his brothers were doing in Shechem. A “certain” man found Joseph wandering and told him where his brothers were. Joseph went to Dothan to find his brothers.

 

My Observations:

• Israel seemed to only trust Joseph.
• Joseph’s brothers left Shechem to go to Dothan, probably because they wanted to go to a place where they were less known.
• GOD knew Joseph was about to be put in danger.

 

Shechem was the place where Simeon and Levi massacred all the townsmen. It must have been several years later that Joseph was sent to Shechem by Israel. A “certain” man saw Joseph. Was this man sent by GOD? It does not say. But GOD knew Joseph would fall prey to his brothers.

 

Joseph sought his brothers and was walking into a trap. His brothers may have left Shechem on purpose, so they could carry out their evil plan. Joseph was looking to report on his brothers, but would walk directly into their trap.

 

Challenge

• Why did GOD tell Moses about the conversation between Israel and Joseph?
• Have you ever walked into a trap?
• Was the trap you fell into, the beginning of a great testimony for GOD’s rescue and protection of you?