And he said, Lo, [it is] yet high day, neither [is it] time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go [and] feed [them].
7. it is yet high day ] Lit. “the day is great”; like the Fr. “ il fait grand jour.” Lat. adhuc multum diei super est. Jacob is a practical shepherd; he says “there is still the whole afternoon: what is the good of wasting time, and delaying to water the sheep?” It was not yet time to gather together the animals to bring them back for the night.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 7. It is yet high day] The day is but about half run; neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together-it is surely not time yet to put them into the folds; give them therefore water, and take them again to pasture.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Neither is it time that the cattle should be taken from their pasture, and brought to be watered.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And he said, lo, [it is] yet high day,…. Noonday, when the sun is highest; at which time in those hot countries flocks used to be made to lie down in shady places, and by still waters, to which the allusion is in Ps 23:2; or however the sun was still up very high, and there was a great deal of the day yet to come; for so the phrase is, “yet the day is great” or “much” c, a long time still untonight:
neither [is it] time that the cattle should be gathered together; off of the pastures, to be had home, and put into folds, which was usually done in the evening:
water ye the sheep, and go [and] feed [them]; give them water out of the well to drink, and then lead them out the pastures, and let them feed until the night is coming on: this he said not in an authoritative way, or in a surly ill natured manner, and as reproving them for their slothfulness; but kindly and gently giving his advice, who was a shepherd himself, and knew what was proper to be done; and this appears by the shepherds taking in good part what he said, and returning a civil answer.
c “magnus”, Pagninus, Montanus, Drusius; “multus”, Junius Tremellius, Piscator, Schmidt “multum adhuc suparet diei”, Vatablus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(7) Neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together.Rather, neither is it time for folding the cattle. As there were still several hours of daylight, Jacob is surprised that they do not immediately upon their arrival give the sheep water, and drive them back to the pasture. But if the well belonged to Laban, their reason for waiting till Rachel came is plain.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
7. Yet high day Hebrews, the day is yet great . That is, a great portion of it yet remains .
Water go feed Kalisch remarks that Jacob,”strengthened by the consciousness of his brilliant mission, addressed the unknown shepherds not only with cordiality, but with self-assurance and authority, and ventured even a gentle reproof of indolence.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“And he said, “Look, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together. Water the sheep and go and feed them.”
Jacob is puzzled why they are sitting around waiting. Sheep would normally be brought towards evening, but these have come while the sun is still high. Why do they then sit and wait, when they could water them and then take them where they can feed?
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Gen 29:7. It is yet high day, &c. Jacob inquires why these shepherds delayed to water their flocks, when much of the day yet remained for them to feed in, if now watered; when it was much too soon to gather them together, or to fold them for the night. To which they reply, Gen 29:8 that they could not yet water them; that is, they could not in equity: (ch. Gen 34:14. Gen 44:26. Mat 9:15.) not that they were unable to roll away the stone; but it was contrary to the rules of the place, as it had been agreed that no one should uncover the well and disturb the waters, till all the shepherds with their flocks were assembled together to the common place of watering.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
How sweetly is the Lord Jesus represented under the similitude of a shepherd! Joh 10:1-18 . And how delightfully is the church represented as his flock. Son 1:7 . Rachael’s name signifies a sheep.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Gen 29:7 And he said, Lo, [it is] yet high day, neither [is it] time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go [and] feed [them].
Ver. 7. Neither is it time, &c. ] Time is a precious commodity, and must be thriftily husbanded. The common complaint is, We want time: but the truth is, we do not so much want, as waste it, as the heathen observed: a which they that do, are wastefullest prodigals: for, of all other possessions, two may be had together; but two moments of time cannot be possessed together. This made the philosopher so parsimonious of time: Nullus mihi per otium exit dies – I cannot afford to cast away a day; pattem noctium studiis vindico – part of the night I take for my studies. So did Charles the Great; and after him, Charles the Fifth, who, when at any time in the field against the enemy, spent what hours he could spare in the study of the mathematics. He had, for that purpose, as his instructor, Turrianus of Cremona ever with him. As if he had been of Cato’s mind, b that great men must be able to give good account, non minus otii, quam negotii ; no less of their leisure, than of their labour. His constant custom was, saith Cicero, c to call to mind, at evening, what thing soever he had seen, read, or done, that day. King Alfred, that reigned here ( Anno Dom . 872), is said to have cast the natural day into three parts: eight hours he spent in praying, study, and writing; eight in the service of his body; eight in the affairs of state. Which spaces (having then no other engine for it) he measured by a great wax light, divided into so many parts; receiving notice by the keeper thereof, as the various hours passed in the burning. d
“ Qui nescit quo vita modo volat, audiat horas:
Quam sit vita brevis, nos docet ille sonus .”
a
b Cato in Orig .
c Cic. De Senect .
d Dan. Chron ., fol. 13.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Lo: Gal 6:9, Gal 6:10, Eph 5:16
it is yet high day: Heb. yet the day is great