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.
All the flocks would gather there, and the shepherds would roll the stone away from the opening of the well to give water to the sheep. Then they would put the stone back over the well's opening where it belonged.
This verse describes the daily routine of shepherds who would gather at a communal well, work together to remove a heavy stone, water their flocks, and carefully replace the stone to protect the water source.
📚 Historical Context
In the biblical narrative of Genesis 29, Jacob is on his way to Haran to seek a wife from his uncle Laban's family, as part of God's plan to fulfill the promises made to his grandfather Abraham. At a communal well outside the city, shepherds would gather their flocks daily, a common practice in ancient Near Eastern cultures where large stones were used to cover wells and protect the water from contamination or theft. This scene sets the stage for Jacob's encounter with Rachel, highlighting the everyday routines of pastoral life in that era.
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