THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
He who proclaimed, “Behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee wherever thou goest,” directed and accompanied the upright individual to the place where the people were tending to their sheep.
Genesis 29:2Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers
And he saw a well in the field, and three flocks of sheep lying by it: for the beasts were watered out of it, and the mouth thereof was closed with a great stone.
וַיַּ֞רְא וְהִנֵּ֧ה בְאֵ֣ר בַּשָּׂדֶ֗ה וְהִנֵּה־שָׁ֞ם שְׁלֹשָׁ֤ה עֶדְרֵי־צֹאן֙ רֹבְצִ֣ים עָלֶ֔יהָ כִּ֚י מִן־הַבְּאֵ֣ר הַהִ֔וא יַשְׁק֖וּ הָעֲדָרִ֑ים וְהָאֶ֥בֶן גְּדֹלָ֖ה עַל־פִּ֥י הַבְּאֵֽר׃
The Church Fathers on this verse
2 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Philaret of Moscow (Drosdow)
A significant stone was placed over the source of water. This measure was taken due to the limited availability of water, aimed at protecting it from the sun's heat and from the reckless misuse by the local people.
Cross references
Passages read together with this verse.
- John 4:6Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well. It was about the sixth hour.
- Isa 49:10They shall not hunger, nor thirst, neither shall the heat nor the sun strike them: for he that is merciful to them, shall be their shepherd, and at the fountains of waters he shall give them drink.
- Song 1:6Shew me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou liest in the midday, lest I begin to wander after the flocks of thy companions.
- Song 1:7If thou know not thyself, O fairest among women, go forth, and follow after the steps of the flocks, and feed thy kids beside the tents of the shepherds.
- Gen 24:11And when he had made the camels lie down without the town, near a well of water, in the evening, at the time when women are wont to come out to draw water, he said:
- Ex 2:15And Pharao heard of this word, and sought to kill Moses: but he fled from his sight, and abode in the land of Madian, and he sat down by a well.
- Ex 2:16And the priest of Madian had seven daughters, who came to draw water: and when the troughs were filled, desired to water their father's flocks.
- Ps 23 (22):2