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.
2. in the field ] There is no exact description of the place where this well was. It was not, apparently, the same as “the well of water,” “without the city,” in Gen 24:11.
for out of that well ] This clause and Gen 29:3 are parenthetical, describing the custom of the country, i.e. “they were wont to water”: “were wont to roll and put the stone again.”
the stone upon the well’s mouth ] A well was a cistern or tank, often covered with a large stone requiring two or three men to remove it. This stone protected the water from the rays of the sun and from mischief or pollution. In the present instance the well seems to have belonged to the community, and was not opened for use, until all the herdsmen and shepherds had come.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 2. Three flocks of sheep] tson, small cattle, such as sheep, goats, c. See Clarke on Ge 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, Ge 29:6.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
They, i.e. the people belonging to that place, watered; or, the flocks were watered; it is an impersonal speech.
A great stone was upon the wells mouth, to preserve the water, which was scarce in those parts, and to keep it pure.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
2. And he looked, &c.Ashe approached the place of his destination, he, according to custom,repaired to the well adjoining the town where he would obtain an easyintroduction to his relatives.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And he looked, and behold a well in the field,…. Near Haran; he might purposely look out for a well, as knowing that there people frequently came for water for their families, or shepherds to water their flocks, of whom he might get intelligence concerning Laban’s family, and where they dwelt; or he might lookout for this particular well, where his grandfather’s servant had met with his mother Rebekah, of which he had been informed, and very probably had some directions how to find it: of this well, [See comments on Ge 24:11]; to which may be added what another traveller says z, there is in this city (Orpha, the same with Haran) a fountain, which both Jews, Armenians, and Turks, reported unto us was Jacob’s well, and that here he served his uncle Laban: near Alexandretta is a fine well, called Jacob’s well, and its water is excellent; not far from which the Greeks say are the remains of Laban’s house a:
and, lo, there [were] three flocks of sheep lying by it; in order to be watered, when it should be opened:
for out of that well they watered the flocks; the shepherds:
and a great stone [was] upon the well’s mouth; so that until that was rolled off, they could not be watered, which was the reason of their lying by it: this stone was laid upon it, partly to keep the water from flowing out, and being wasted, that there might be a sufficiency for the flocks; and partly to keep the water pure and clean, that it might be wholesome for the flocks, as well as entire for the use of those that had a property in it.
z Cartwright’s Preacher’s Travels, p. 15. a Egmont and Heyman’s Travels, vol. 2. p. 329.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(2) Behold a well in the field.This was not the well whence Rebekah drew the water; for it was in the field, the open pasture ground, whereas Rebekahs well was just outside the city (Gen. 24:11), and she obtained the water by going down the steps which led to it (Gen. 24:16).
A great stone was upon the wells mouth.The region round Haran, though fertile, is very dry, and the chief use of the stone was to prevent the well from being choked with sand. As the proper translation is the stone upon the wells mouth was great, it would also serve to prevent the well from being used, except at fixed times; for it probably required the strength of two or three men (comp. Robinson, Bibl. Res. ii. 180) to remove it; nor does the language of Gen. 29:10 necessarily imply that Jacob rolled it away without the aid of others. Besides this, the stone may have marked that the well was private property: for, as we have seen in the account of the covenants of Abraham and Isaac with Abimelech, no possession was morevalued than that of wells. And as we find the shepherds all waiting for Rachel, and that immediately on her arrival the stone is rolled away, and her sheep watered first, while the rest, though they had been there long before her, yet have to bide their time till her wants are supplied, it is probable that Laban had at least a first claim upon its enjoyment. No such courtesy was shown to the daughters of Jethro (Exo. 2:17).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2. Behold a well in the field Compare the similar account of Eliezer meeting Rebekah at a well . Gen 24:11-28. That well, however, was “without the city,” but evidently quite near the city; this is more remote, in the field. There the women came out towards evening to draw water for drinking; here shepherds with their flocks were resting, waiting for the time to open the well . That well was not covered, and one could go down to it; this was covered by a great stone, and seems to have been a cistern, like those of which Robinson writes: “Over most of the cisterns is laid a broad and thick flat stone, with a round hole cut in the middle, forming the mouth of the cistern. This hole we found in many cases covered with a heavy stone, which it would require two or three men to roll away.” Biblical Researches, vol. i, p. 490.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And he looked, and behold, a well in the field. And lo, three flocks of sheep lying there by it. For from that well they watered the flocks, and the stone on the well’s mouth was great. And to that place all the flocks were gathered, and they rolled the stone from the well’s mouth and watered the sheep, and put the stone again on the well’s mouth in its place.’
It would appear that the stone was so large that it was not easy to move. So every day the various flocks would gather at the well (water-source), waiting until all were gathered, and then the stone guarding the well would be removed and all the flocks would water there. It was possibly a private cystern owned by a group, with restricted access.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
A well of water was considered a great treasure in those hot eastern countries. Hence Jesus is often spoken of under that similitude. Isa 32:2 ; Joh 7:37Joh 7:37 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Gen 29:2 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.
Ver. 2. Three flocks of sheep lying by it. ] Semblably Christ, the chief Shepherd, “feeds” and “leads his flock to the lively fountains of waters”; Rev 7:16-17 Psa 23:2 commanding his under shepherds, the ministers, to roll away the stone, by opening the promises, that his sheep may drink “water with joy out of those wells of salvation”. Isa 12:3
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
well. Hebrew. beer. See note on Gen 21:19.
three flocks. Compare Gen 29:8.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
a well: Gen 24:11, Gen 24:13, Exo 2:15, Exo 2:16, Joh 4:6, Joh 4:14
there: Psa 23:2, Son 1:6, Son 1:7, Isa 49:10, Rev 7:17
a great stone: In Arabia, and other places in the East, they cover up their wells of water, lest the sand, which is put in motion by the winds, should fill and quite stop them up. So great was their care not to leave the well open any length of time, that they waited till the flocks were all gathered together before they began to draw water; and when they had finished, the well was immediately closed again.
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Gen 29:2. Behold a well in the field Providence brought him to the very field where his uncles flocks were to be watered, and there he met with Rachel, who was to be his wife. The Divine Providence is to be acknowledged in all the little circumstances which concur to make a journey or other undertaking comfortable and successful. 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 impute it to chance, but to the providence of God. Our ways are ways of pleasantness, if we continually acknowledge God in them. A great stone was on the wells mouth This might be intended either to prevent the lambs of the flock from being drowned in it; or to secure the water, which was and still is scarce in that country; or to save the well from receiving damage from the heat of the sun, or the sand put into motion by the winds, which, probably, would soon have filled and stopped it up. This last we know is the reason why they cover their wells in Arabia, and several other parts of the East.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
29:2 And he looked, and behold a well in the field, {b} 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.
(b) Thus he was directed by the providence of God, who brought him to Laban’s house.