Genesis 29:8

8 Which answered, We may not till all the sheep be gathered together, and till we remove the stone from the mouth of the well, to water the flocks (then we shall water the flocks).

Genesis 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.

Genesis 29:8 In-Context

6 Jacob said, Is he whole? (Jacob asked, Is he well?) (And) They said, He is in (a) good state; and lo! Rachel, his daughter, cometh with his flock.

7 And Jacob said, Yet much of the day is to come, and it is not (the) time that the flocks be led again to the folds; soothly give ye drink to the sheep, and so lead ye them again to meat (and then take ye them back to the pasture).

8 Which answered, We may not till all the sheep be gathered together, and till we remove the stone from the mouth of the well, to water the flocks (then we shall water the flocks).

9 Yet (while) they spake, and lo! Rachel came with the sheep of her father.

10 And when Jacob saw her, and knew (her to be) the daughter of (Laban,) his mother's brother, and the sheep (to be) of Laban his uncle, he removed the stone with which the well was closed; and when the flock was watered,