What does Genesis 37:17 mean?
Near the city of Shechem, a stranger finds Joseph, 17, wandering around in search of his older brothers (Genesis 37:12–16). His brothers have taken their family flocks even further north, near the town of Dothan. Joseph was sent by his father Jacob to gather a report on the condition of the flocks. That the brothers are not where Jacob expected them to be hints that he might be sending Joseph out of justified suspicion (Genesis 37:2).Joseph gives no indication he knows how angry his brothers are with him (Genesis 37:3–5) or what they are willing to do to be rid of him (Genesis 37:18, 28).