English Standard Version
Genesis 29:8
8But they said, "We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together and the stone is rolled from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep."
Genesis 29:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well’s mouth; then we water the sheep.
- New International Version (NIV)“We can’t,” they replied, “until all the flocks are gathered and the stone has been rolled away from the mouth of the well. Then we will water the sheep.”
- New King James Version (NKJV)But they said, “We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and they have rolled the stone from the well’s mouth; then we water the sheep.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)“We can’t water the animals until all the flocks have arrived,” they replied. “Then the shepherds move the stone from the mouth of the well, and we water all the sheep and goats.”
Context of Genesis 29:8
6He said to them, "Is it well with him?" They said, "It is well; and see, Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep!" 7He said, "Behold, it is still high day; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered together. Water the sheep and go, pasture them." But they said, "We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together and the stone is rolled from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep." 9While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was a shepherdess. 10Now as soon as Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, Jacob came near and rolled the stone from the well's mouth and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother.
Read all of Genesis 29Genesis 29:8 word by word
וַיֹּאמְרוּ֮ לֹ֣א נוּכַל֒ עַ֣ד אֲשֶׁ֤ר יֵאָֽסְפוּ֙ כָּל־הָ֣עֲדָרִ֔ים וְגָֽלֲלוּ֙ אֶת־הָאֶ֔בֶן מֵעַ֖ל פִּ֣י הַבְּאֵ֑ר וְהִשְׁקִ֖ינוּ הַצֹּֽאן׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And they saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- We cannotיָכֹלyâkôl yâkôl · be ableH3201
- until all the flocksעֵ֫דֶר‛êder · flockH5739
- be gathered togetherאָסַף'âsaph · to gatherH622
- they rollגָּלַלgâlal · to rollH1556
- the stoneאֶ֫בֶן'eben · stoneH68
- from the well’sבְּאֵרbe'êr · wellH875
- mouthפֶּהpeh · lipH6310
- then we waterשָׁקָהshâqâh · to water: wateringH8248
- the sheepצֹאןtsô'n tse'ôn · flockH6629
Cross-references for Genesis 29:8
- Genesis 29:3and when all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place over the mouth of the well.
- Genesis 34:14They said to them, "We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised, for that would be a disgrace to us.
- Genesis 43:32They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians.
- Mark 16:3And they were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?"
- Luke 24:2And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb,
Commentaries on Genesis 29:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together - It is a rule that the stone shall not be removed till all the shepherds and the flocks which have a right to this well be gathered together; then, and not before, we may water the sheep. See note on Genesis 29:3.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-35Verses 1-35 - Jacob‘s Marriage 6. רחל rāchēl Rachel, “a ewe.” 16. לאה lê'âh Leah, “wearied.” 24. זלפה zı̂lpâh Zilpah, “drop?” 29. בלהה bı̂lhâh Bilhah, “timidity.” 32. ראוּבן re'uvbēn Reuben, “behold a son.” A paronomasia in allusion to the phrase בעניי ראה be‛ānyı̂y rā'âh Derivatives and compounds, being formed by the common speaker, are sometimes founded upon resemblance in sound, and not always on precise forms of the original sentence which…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2-12Jacob met Rachel at the well at just the right time. This happened under God’s guidance, because God rules over all things (God is sovereign). God was leading Jacob toward the fulfillment of his promises (see 24:12–20). The well was a reminder of God’s blessing (compare 16:13–14; 21:19; 26:19–25, 33).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. They said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered--In order to prevent the consequences of too frequent exposure in places where water is scarce, the well is not only covered, but it is customary to have all the flocks collected round it before the covering is removed in presence of the owner or one of his representatives; and it was for this reason that those who were reposing at the well of Haran with the three flocks were waiting the arrival of…Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 29:8
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 29
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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