Genesis 29:2
New International Version
There he saw a well in the open country, with three flocks of sheep lying near it because the flocks were watered from that well. The stone over the mouth of the well was large.

New Living Translation
He saw a well in the distance. Three flocks of sheep and goats lay in an open field beside it, waiting to be watered. But a heavy stone covered the mouth of the well.

English Standard Version
As he looked, he saw a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep lying beside it, for out of that well the flocks were watered. The stone on the well’s mouth was large,

Berean Standard Bible
He looked and saw a well in the field, and near it lay three flocks of sheep, because the sheep were watered from this well. And a large stone covered the mouth of the well.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
And he looked, and saw a well in the field; and behold, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks. A large stone was on the well’s mouth.

New American Standard Bible
He looked, and saw a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep were lying there beside it, because they watered the flocks from that well. Now the stone on the mouth of the well was large.

NASB 1995
He looked, and saw a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep were lying there beside it, for from that well they watered the flocks. Now the stone on the mouth of the well was large.

NASB 1977
And he looked, and saw a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep were lying there beside it, for from that well they watered the flocks. Now the stone on the mouth of the well was large.

Legacy Standard Bible
And he looked, and behold, a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep were lying there beside it, for from that well they gave water to the flocks to drink. Now the stone on the mouth of the well was large.

Amplified Bible
As he looked, he saw a well in the field, and three flocks of sheep lying there [resting] beside it because the flocks were watered from that well. Now the stone on the mouth of the well [that covered and protected it] was large,

Christian Standard Bible
He looked and saw a well in a field. Three flocks of sheep were lying there beside it because the sheep were watered from this well. But a large stone covered the opening of the well.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He looked and saw a well in a field. Three flocks of sheep were lying there beside it because the sheep were watered from this well. A large stone covered the opening of the well.

American Standard Version
And he looked, and behold, a well in the field, and, lo, three flocks of sheep lying there by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and the stone upon the well's mouth was great.

Contemporary English Version
he looked out in a field and saw a well where shepherds took their sheep for water. Three flocks of sheep were lying around the well, which was covered with a large rock.

English Revised Version
And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, three flocks of sheep lying there by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and the stone upon the well's mouth was great.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
He looked around, and out in a field he saw a well with a large stone over the opening. Three flocks of sheep were lying down near it, because the flocks were watered from that well.

Good News Translation
Suddenly he came upon a well out in the fields with three flocks of sheep lying around it. The flocks were watered from this well, which had a large stone over the opening.

International Standard Version
As he was observing a well that had been dug out on the open range, all of a sudden he noticed three flocks of sheep lying there, because shepherds watered their flocks from that well. There was a very large stone that covered the opening of the well,

Majority Standard Bible
He looked and saw a well in the field, and near it lay three flocks of sheep, because the sheep were watered from this well. And a large stone covered the mouth of the well.

NET Bible
He saw in the field a well with three flocks of sheep lying beside it, because the flocks were watered from that well. Now a large stone covered the mouth of the well.

New Heart English Bible
He looked and saw a well in the field, and look, three flocks of sheep lying there by it. For out of that well they watered the flocks. The stone on the well's mouth was large.

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

World English Bible
He looked, and saw a well in the field, and saw three flocks of sheep lying there by it. For out of that well they watered the flocks. The stone on the well’s mouth was large.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and he looks, and behold, a well in the field, and behold, there [are] three droves of a flock crouching by it, for they water the droves from that well, and the great stone [is] on the mouth of the well.

Young's Literal Translation
and he looketh, and lo, a well in the field, and lo, there three droves of a flock crouching by it, for from that well they water the droves, and the great stone is on the mouth of the well.

Smith's Literal Translation
And he will see, and behold, a well in the field, and behold there three flocks of sheep lying by it; for from that well they will water the flocks and the great stone upon the mouth of the well.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he saw a well in the field, and three flocks of sheep lying by it: for the beasts were watered out of it, and the mouth thereof was closed with a great stone.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he saw a well in a field, and also three flocks of sheep reclining near it. For the animals were watered from it, and its mouth was closed with a great stone.

New American Bible
Looking about, he saw a well in the open country, with three flocks of sheep huddled near it, for flocks were watered from that well. A large stone covered the mouth of the well.

New Revised Standard Version
As he looked, he saw a well in the field and three flocks of sheep lying there beside it; for out of that well the flocks were watered. The stone on the well’s mouth was large,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And he looked, and beheld 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 large stone was upon the well's mouth.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And he saw, and behold, a well in a field, and there were three flocks of sheep lying by it, because the flock was drinking at the well, and a great stone was on the mouth of the well.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, three flocks of sheep lying there by it.--For out of that well they watered the flocks. And the stone upon the well's mouth was great.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And he looks, and behold! a well in the plain; and there were there three flocks of sheep resting at it, for out of that well they watered the flocks, but there was a great stone at the mouth of the well.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jacob Meets Rachel
1Jacob resumed his journey and came to the land of the people of the east. 2He looked and saw a well in the field, and near it lay three flocks of sheep, because the sheep were watered from this well. And a large stone covered the mouth of the well. 3When all the flocks had been gathered there, the shepherds would roll away the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep. Then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well.…

Cross References
Exodus 2:16-17
Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came to draw water and fill the troughs to water their father’s flock. / And when some shepherds came along and drove them away, Moses rose up to help them and watered their flock.

John 4:6-7
Since Jacob’s well was there, Jesus, weary from His journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour. / When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.”

Genesis 24:11-20
As evening approached, he made the camels kneel down near the well outside the town at the time when the women went out to draw water. / “O LORD, God of my master Abraham,” he prayed, “please grant me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. / Here I am, standing beside the spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. ...

Numbers 20:1-11
In the first month, the whole congregation of Israel entered the Wilderness of Zin and stayed in Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried. / Now there was no water for the congregation, so they gathered against Moses and Aaron. / The people quarreled with Moses and said, “If only we had perished with our brothers before the LORD! ...

John 4:10-14
Jesus answered, “If you knew the gift of God and who is asking you for a drink, you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” / “Sir,” the woman replied, “You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where then will You get this living water? / Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us this well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock?” ...

Genesis 30:38
Then he set the peeled branches in the watering troughs in front of the flocks coming in to drink. So when the flocks were in heat and came to drink,

1 Samuel 9:11-12
And as they were climbing the hill to the city, they met some young women coming out to draw water and asked, “Is the seer here?” / “Yes, he is ahead of you,” they answered. “Hurry now, for today he has come to the city because the people have a sacrifice on the high place.

Isaiah 12:3
With joy you will draw water from the springs of salvation,

John 7:37-38
On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and called out in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. / Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said: ‘Streams of living water will flow from within him.’”

Genesis 26:19-22
Then Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found a well of fresh water there. / But the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen and said, “The water is ours!” So he named the well Esek, because they contended with him. / Then they dug another well and quarreled over that one also; so he named it Sitnah. ...

2 Kings 3:16-17
and he said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Dig this valley full of ditches.’ / For the LORD says, ‘You will not see wind or rain, but the valley will be filled with water, and you will drink—you and your cattle and your animals.’

John 4:28-29
Then the woman left her water jar, went back into the town, and said to the people, / “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?”

Genesis 21:19
Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.

Revelation 7:17
For the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd. ‘He will lead them to springs of living water,’ and ‘God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’”

Genesis 33:13-14
But Jacob replied, “My lord knows that the children are frail, and I must care for sheep and cattle that are nursing their young. If they are driven hard for even a day, all the animals will die. / Please let my lord go ahead of his servant. I will continue on slowly, at a comfortable pace for the livestock and children, until I come to my lord at Seir.”


Treasury of Scripture

And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, see, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was on the well's mouth.

a well.

Genesis 24:11,13
And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water

Exodus 2:15,16
Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well…

John 4:6,14
Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour…

there.

Psalm 23:2
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

Song of Solomon 1:6,7
Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother's children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept…

Isaiah 49:10
They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.

a great stone.

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Genesis 29
1. Jacob comes to the well of Haran.
9. He becomes acquainted with Rachel.
13. Laban entertains him.
18. Jacob covenants for Rachel.
23. He is deceived by Laban with Leah.
28. He marries also Rachel, and serves for her seven years more.
32. Leah bears Reuben;
33. Simeon;
34. Levi;
35. and Judah.














He looked and saw a well in the field
The phrase "He looked and saw" indicates an intentional and discerning observation by Jacob. In Hebrew, the word for "looked" is "וַיַּרְא" (vayar), which implies not just seeing with the eyes but perceiving with understanding. This moment is significant as it marks a turning point in Jacob's journey, where he encounters a place of provision and sustenance. The "well" in the "field" symbolizes a source of life and refreshment, both physically and spiritually. Wells were central to the survival of nomadic and agrarian societies in ancient times, often serving as communal gathering places. Spiritually, wells can represent the deep, sustaining presence of God, offering living water to those who seek Him.

and behold, three flocks of sheep were lying there beside it
The word "behold" (הִנֵּה, hinneh) is used to draw attention to something significant or surprising. The presence of "three flocks of sheep" suggests a scene of abundance and community. In biblical numerology, the number three often signifies completeness or divine perfection, hinting at the providential care of God. Sheep, in the biblical context, are frequently used as symbols of God's people, who are in need of guidance and sustenance. The fact that they were "lying there" indicates a state of rest and peace, which can be seen as a metaphor for the rest found in God's provision.

because the flocks were watered from that well
The phrase "because the flocks were watered" highlights the well's purpose and the reason for the gathering of the flocks. Watering was a daily necessity for the survival of the sheep, and wells were vital for sustaining life in the arid regions of the Near East. The act of watering the flocks can be seen as a metaphor for spiritual nourishment and the quenching of spiritual thirst. In a broader scriptural context, water is often associated with the Holy Spirit and the life-giving word of God. The well, therefore, becomes a symbol of divine provision, where needs are met, and life is sustained. This scene foreshadows the living water that Christ offers, as mentioned in John 4:14, where He speaks of the water that leads to eternal life.

(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 Rebekah's well was just outside the city (Genesis 24:11), and she obtained the water by going down the steps which led to it (Genesis 24:16).

A great stone was upon the well's 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 well's 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 Genesis 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 (Exodus 2:17).

Verse 2. - And he looked (either to discover where he was, or in search of water), and behold a well in the field, - not the well at which Eliezer's caravan halted, which was a well for the village maidens, situated in front of the town, and approached by steps (vide Genesis 14.), but a well in the open field for the use of flocks, and covered at the time of Jacob's arrival with a huge stone - and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it. A frequent Oriental scene (cf. Genesis 14:11; Exodus 2:16). "Who that has traveled much in this country has not often arrived at a well in the heat of the day which was surrounded with numerous flocks of sheep waiting to be watered? I once saw such a scene in the burning plains of Northern Syria. Half-naked, fierce-looking men were drawing up water in leather buckets; flock after flock was brought up, watered, and sent away; and after all the men had ended their work, then several women and girls brought up their flocks, and drew water for them. Thus it was with Jethro's daughters; and thus, no doubt, it would have been with Rachel if Jacob had not rolled away the stone and watered her sheep" ('Land and Book,' p. 589). For out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well's mouth. "Most of the cisterns are covered with a large thick, flat stone, in the center of which a hole is cut, which forms the mouth of the cistern. This hole, in many instances, we found covered with a heavy stone, to the removal of which two or three men were requisite" (Robinson, 2. p. 180).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
He looked
וַיַּ֞רְא (way·yar)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7200: To see

and saw
וְהִנֵּ֧ה (wə·hin·nêh)
Conjunctive waw | Interjection
Strong's 2009: Lo! behold!

a well
בְאֵ֣ר (ḇə·’êr)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 875: A pit, a well

in the field,
בַּשָּׂדֶ֗ה (baś·śā·ḏeh)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7704: Field, land

and
וְהִנֵּה־ (wə·hin·nêh-)
Conjunctive waw | Interjection
Strong's 2009: Lo! behold!

there
שָׁ֞ם (šām)
Adverb
Strong's 8033: There, then, thither

by it
עָלֶ֔יהָ (‘ā·le·hā)
Preposition | third person feminine singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

lay
רֹבְצִ֣ים (rō·ḇə·ṣîm)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 7257: To crouch, be implication, to recline, repose, brood, lurk, imbed

three
שְׁלֹשָׁ֤ה (šə·lō·šāh)
Number - masculine singular
Strong's 7969: Three, third, thrice

flocks
עֶדְרֵי־ (‘eḏ·rê-)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 5739: An arrangement, muster

of sheep,
צֹאן֙ (ṣōn)
Noun - common singular
Strong's 6629: Small cattle, sheep and goats, flock

because
כִּ֚י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

the sheep
הָעֲדָרִ֑ים (hā·‘ă·ḏā·rîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 5739: An arrangement, muster

were watered
יַשְׁק֖וּ (yaš·qū)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 8248: To quaff, to irrigate, furnish a, potion to

from
מִן־ (min-)
Preposition
Strong's 4480: A part of, from, out of

this
הַהִ֔וא (ha·hi·w)
Article | Pronoun - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

well.
הַבְּאֵ֣ר (hab·bə·’êr)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 875: A pit, a well

And a large
גְּדֹלָ֖ה (gə·ḏō·lāh)
Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 1419: Great, older, insolent

stone
וְהָאֶ֥בֶן (wə·hā·’e·ḇen)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 68: A stone

covered
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the mouth
פִּ֥י (pî)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6310: The mouth, edge, portion, side, according to

of the well.
הַבְּאֵֽר׃ (hab·bə·’êr)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 875: A pit, a well


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OT Law: Genesis 29:2 He looked and behold a well (Gen. Ge Gn)
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