Bereshis 29:8

8 And they said, We cannot, until all the edarim be gathered together, and till they roll the even (stone) from the mouth of the be’er; then we water the tzon.

Bereshis 29:8 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 29:8

And they said, we cannot
That is, water the sheep; either because the stone was a great one, as Jarchi observes, and therefore used to be removed by the joint strength of all the shepherds when they came together, though Jacob rolled it away of himself afterwards; but this is imputed to his great strength: or rather it was a custom that obtained among them, or an agreement made between them, that the stone should not be removed from the mouth of the well, and any flock watered,

until all the flocks be gathered together;
and therefore they could not fairly and rightly do it, without violating the law and custom among them:

and [till] they roll the stone from the well's mouth;
that is, the shepherds of the several flocks:

then we water the sheep;
and not till then.

Bereshis 29:8 In-Context

6 And he said unto them, Is the shalom with him? And they said, Shalom; and, hinei, Rachel his bat cometh with the tzon.

7 And he said, Look, the sun is still high, neither is it time that the flock should be gathered together; water ye the tzon, and go and feed them.

8 And they said, We cannot, until all the edarim be gathered together, and till they roll the even (stone) from the mouth of the be’er; then we water the tzon.

9 And while he yet spoke with them, Rachel came with the tzon of her av; for she was a ro’ah (shepherdess).

10 And it came to pass, when Ya’akov saw Rachel bat Lavan achi immo, and the tzon of Lavan achi immo, that Ya’akov went near, and rolled the even (stone) from the mouth of the be’er, and watered the tzon of Lavan achi immo.