And his brethren went to feed their father's flock in Shechem.
His brethren went to feed their father's flock in Shechem. The vale of Shechem was, from the earliest mention of Canaan, blest with extraordinary abundance of water. Therefore, the sons of Jacob went from Hebron to this place, though it must have cost them almost 20 more hours of traveling - i:e., at the shepherd's rate-a little more than 50 miles. But the field was Jacob's property; and the herbage there is so rich and nutritious, that they thought it well worth the pains of so long a journey, to the neglect of the grazing district of Hebron (Van de Velde).