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.
And he said, 'Look, it's still the middle of the day, and it's not time yet for all the flocks to be brought together. Why don't you water the sheep and take them back out to graze?'
Jacob is suggesting to the shepherds that since it's still early in the day, they should water their sheep and continue grazing them instead of gathering all the flocks together.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs when Jacob first arrives at a well near Haran and meets local shepherds waiting with their flocks. In ancient Middle Eastern culture, shepherds would typically gather at wells in the evening to water their animals together before returning home. Jacob is questioning why they're gathered so early in the day when there's still good grazing time left.
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