Genesis 29:3

In that culture, the shepherds and their sheep had to wait until everyone's sheep got there. Then the shepherds would take the stone off the waterhole and give water to all the sheep. When the sheep had finished drinking, the shepherds put the stone back over the waterhole to keep the water safe.

Barkly (portions)

In The King James Version

And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well’s mouth in his place.

In Context

2When he got there, he saw 3 mobs of sheep lying down in a paddock. They were all waiting next to a waterhole that had a big flat stone on top.

4Jacob walked up to the shepherds and said, “Hello my brothers, where are you from?” And they answered, “We are from Harran.”

Read all of Genesis 29

Matthew Henry on Genesis 29:2-9

Jacob's Arrival at Padan-aram. ( b. c. 1760.) 1 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east. 2 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. 3 And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well's mouth in his place. 4 And Jacob said… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Genesis 29:3