Genesis 29:10

10 And it happened [that], when Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban, his mother's brother, Jacob drew near and rolled away the stone from the mouth of the well and watered the sheep of Laban, his mother's brother.

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.


FOOTNOTES:

F8 Pirke Eliezer, c. 36.

Genesis 29:10 In-Context

8 And they said, "We are not able, until all the flocks are gathered. Then the stone is rolled away from the mouth of the well, and we water the sheep."
9 While he was speaking with them, Rachel came with the sheep which belonged to her father, for she was pasturing [them].
10 And it happened [that], when Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban, his mother's brother, Jacob drew near and rolled away the stone from the mouth of the well and watered the sheep of Laban, his mother's brother.
11 And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept.
12 And Jacob told Rachel that he [was] the relative of her father, and that he [was] the son of Rebekah. And she ran and told her father.
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.