Genesis 29:2

There he was surprised to see a well in a field, and three flocks of sheep were lying near the well. It was the well from which shepherds habitually got water for their sheep. There was a large stone covering the top of the well.

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

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.

In Context

1Jacob continued on the road [MTY], and he arrived at the land that was east of Canaan.

3When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would work together to roll the stone away from the top of the well and get water for the sheep. When they finished doing that, they would put the stone back in its place over the top of the well.

Read all of Genesis 29

Cross References

Genesis 24:11It was late in the afternoon, at the time when the women go to the well to get water, when he arrived there. He made the camels kneel down near the well, which was outside the city.

Exodus 2:15And that was correct. The king heard about what he/I had done to that Egyptian. So he ordered his soldiers to execute/kill Moses/me. But he/I fled from the king and left Egypt. He/I traveled east to the Midian region and started to live there.

Song of Solomon 1:6But do not stare at me because of the sun having caused my skin to become dark; my brothers were angry with me, so they forced me to work out in the sunshine in the vineyards, so I was not able to take good care of my body/skin [CHI, MET].

John 4:6The well that used to belong to Jacob was on that plot of ground. Jesus was tired from walking. So while we disciples went into the town to buy some food, he sat down alongside the well. It was about noontime. A woman who lived there in Samaria came to get some water from the well. Jesus said to her, “Will you give me from the well some water to drink?” The woman knew that Jews did not like ◄ to touch things that belong to Samaritans/ to come near Samaritans►, (OR, Jews did not like to associate with Samaritans,)

Revelation 7:17This is because the one who is like a lamb who is at the throne will take care of them, just like a shepherd takes care of his sheep [MET]. He will guide them to the source of eternal life, just like a shepherd leads his sheep to springs of water, which enable the sheep to live [MET]. God will cause them to no longer be sad. It will be as if he were wiping away all tears from their eyes [MTY].”

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 29:2