Genesis 29:10

10 As soon as Jacob saw his uncle Laban's daughter Rachel with his sheep,^[a] he went up and rolled the stone from the opening and watered his uncle Laban's sheep.

Genesis 29:10 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 29:10

And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of
Laban his mother's brother
Coming with her flock towards the well, and for whom and whose flock only the shepherds might be waiting:

and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother;
wherefore out of respect to him and his, he being so nearly allied to him, it was

that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth,
either with the help of the shepherds, or of himself by his own strength; which the Jewish writers ^F8 say amazed the shepherds, that he should do that himself, which required their united strength. The Targum of Jonathan says, he did it with one of his arms; and Jarchi, that he removed it as easily as a man takes off the lid cover of a pot:

and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother;
this he did partly out of respect to his relations, and partly that he might be taken notice of by Rachel.

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FOOTNOTES:

F8 Pirke Eliezer, c. 36.

Genesis 29:10 In-Context

8 But they replied, "We can't, until all the flocks have been gathered and the stone is rolled from the well's opening. Then we will water the sheep."

9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was a shepherdess.

10 As soon as Jacob saw his uncle Laban's daughter Rachel with his sheep, he went up and rolled the stone from the opening and watered his uncle Laban's sheep.

11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept loudly.

12 He told Rachel that he was her father's relative, Rebekah's son. She ran and told her father.

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit with the sheep of Laban his mother's brother