Genesis 29:2
in Genesis 29He looked and saw a well in the field, and near it lay three flocks of sheep, because the sheep were watered from this well. And a large stone covered the mouth of the well.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he looked, and, behold, a well in the field, and, lo, three flocks of sheep lying there by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and the stone upon the well’s mouth was great.
KJV
And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well’s mouth.
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This verse in Genesis 29
Commentary
6 notes on this verseThree flocks of sheep - צאן tson, small cattle, such as sheep, goats, etc.; See note on Gen 12:16. Sheep, in a healthy state, seldom drink in cold and comparatively cold countries: but it was probably different in hot climates. The three flocks, if flocks and not shepherds be meant, which were lying now at the well, did not belong to Laban, but to three other chiefs; for Laban’s flock was yet to come, under the care of Rachel, Gen 29:6.
This site's exposition
the land of the people of the east
on Genesis 29:1-3
Jacob stops at a well in a field among the people of the east. A large stone covers the mouth of it. The shepherds wait until every flock has gathered, then roll the stone away and water the sheep. He has just left one stone standing as a pillar at Bethel, and now another lies between him and the water.
This site's exposition
near it lay three flocks of sheep
Adam Clarke reads the three flocks as belonging to three other owners, since Laban's flock was still on its way with Rachel. Matthew Henry gives reasons for the stone: water was scarce and owned, and a cover kept out the sun and spiteful hands and kept lambs from drowning. Water here was guarded.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
The stone at the well's mouth, which is so often mentioned here, was either to secure their property in it (for water was scarce, it was not there usus communis aquarum--for every one's use ), or it was to save the well from receiving damage from the heat of the sun, or from any spiteful hand, or to prevent the lambs of the flock from being drowned in it.
If, when we are at a loss, we meet with those seasonably that can direct us; if we meet with a disaster, and those are at hand that will help us; we must not say it was by chance, but it was by providence: our ways are ways of pleasantness, if we continually acknowledge God in them.
And he looked, and behold a well in the field,....
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
Yaakov [then] lifted his feet and went toward the land of the people of the East.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 6 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
22 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיַּ֞רְא | vaiyar' | and he saw | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| וְהִנֵּ֧ה | vehineh | and there! | H2009 → | 843 times |
| בְאֵ֣ר | veer | a well | H875 → | 38 times |
| בַּשָּׂדֶ֗ה | basadeh | [was] in the field | H7704 → | 334 times |
| וְהִנֵּה־ | vehineh- | and there! | H2009 → | 843 times |
| שָׁ֞ם | sham | there | H8033 → | 834 times |
| שְׁלֹשָׁ֤ה | sheloshah | three | H7969 → | 432 times |
| עֶדְרֵי־ | ʾedrei- | flocks of | H5739 → | 38 times |
| צֹאן֙ | tzon | sheep | H6629 → | 274 times |
| רֹבְצִ֣ים | roetzim | [were] lying down | H7257 → | 30 times |
| עָלֶ֔יהָ | ʾaleiha | at it | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| כִּ֚י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| מִן־ | min- | from | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| הַבְּאֵ֣ר | habeer | the well | H875 → | 38 times |
| הַהִ֔וא | hahiv' | <the> that | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| יַשְׁק֖וּ | yashku | people watered | H8248 → | 61 times |
| הָעֲדָרִ֑ים | haadarim | the flocks | H5739 → | 38 times |
| וְהָאֶ֥בֶן | vehaeven | and the stone | H68 → | 273 times |
| גְּדֹלָ֖ה | gedolah | [was] large | H1419 → | 526 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | over | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| פִּ֥י | pi | [the] mouth of | H6310 → | 498 times |
| הַבְּאֵֽר׃ | habeer | the well | H875 → | 38 times |
וַיַּ֞רְאand he saw
vaiyar'H7200 →1300 times
וְהִנֵּ֧הand there!
vehinehH2009 →843 times
בְאֵ֣רa well
veerH875 →38 times
בַּשָּׂדֶ֗ה[was] in the field
basadehH7704 →334 times
וְהִנֵּה־and there!
vehineh-H2009 →843 times
שָׁ֞םthere
shamH8033 →834 times
שְׁלֹשָׁ֤הthree
sheloshahH7969 →432 times
עֶדְרֵי־flocks of
ʾedrei-H5739 →38 times
צֹאן֙sheep
tzonH6629 →274 times
רֹבְצִ֣ים[were] lying down
roetzimH7257 →30 times
עָלֶ֔יהָat it
ʾaleihaH5921 →5755 times
כִּ֚יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
מִן־from
min-H4480 →1188 times
הַבְּאֵ֣רthe well
habeerH875 →38 times
הַהִ֔וא<the> that
hahiv'H1931 →1879 times
יַשְׁק֖וּpeople watered
yashkuH8248 →61 times
הָעֲדָרִ֑יםthe flocks
haadarimH5739 →38 times
וְהָאֶ֥בֶןand the stone
vehaevenH68 →273 times
גְּדֹלָ֖ה[was] large
gedolahH1419 →526 times
עַל־over
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
פִּ֥י[the] mouth of
piH6310 →498 times
הַבְּאֵֽר׃the well
habeerH875 →38 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
John 4:14But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a fount of water springing up to eternal life.”
it leads to
- John 7:38–39
Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said: ‘Streams of living water will flow from within him.’”
- John 6:35
Jesus answered, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst.
- Isaiah 49:10
They will not hunger or thirst, nor will scorching heat or sun beat down on them. For He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water.
- Revelation 7:16
‘Never again will they hunger, and never will they thirst; nor will the sun beat down upon them, nor any scorching heat.’
- Ephesians 1:13–14
And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth—the gospel of your salvation—you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
- John 7:38–39
Through
Isaiah 49:10They will not hunger or thirst, nor will scorching heat or sun beat down on them. For He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water.
it leads to
- Revelation 7:16–17
‘Never again will they hunger, and never will they thirst; nor will the sun beat down upon them, nor any scorching heat.’
- Matthew 5:6
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
- Ezekiel 34:23
I will appoint over them one shepherd, My servant David, and he will feed them. He will feed them and be their shepherd.
- Revelation 7:16–17
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Genesis
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Calvin, Commentary on Genesis; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.