John Gill Commentary Genesis 37:12

"And his brethren went to feed their father`s flock in Shechem." — Genesis 37:12 (ASV)

And his brethren went to feed their father's flock in Shechem.
Very probably some considerable time after the telling of the above dreams; it was usual to remove flocks from place to place for the sake of pasturage; and sometimes at a great distance, as Shechem was from Hebron, where Jacob now dwelt, said ^F9 to be about sixty miles; but this is not so much to be marvelled at as the place itself, where they went.

For though Jacob had bought a parcel of a field in this place, (Genesis 33:19); which might be a reason for their going thither to feed their father's flocks in his own field; yet it was the place where they had committed a most outrageous action in destroying all, the males there, and therefore might fear the inhabitants of the neighbouring cities would rise upon them and cut them off.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F9: Bunting's Travels, p. 79. Ainsworth in loc.