Genesis 29:7

7 He said to them, "It's now only the middle of the day. It's not time yet to gather the animals. Water the flock, and then go, put them out to pasture."

Genesis 29:7 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 29:7

And he said, lo, [it is] yet high day
Noonday, when the sun is highest; at which time in those hot countries flocks used to be made to lie down in shady places, and by still waters, to which the allusion is in ( Psalms 23:2 ) ( Song of Solomon 1:7 ) ; or however the sun was still up very high, and there was a great deal of the day yet to come; for so the phrase is, "yet the day is great" or "much" ^F3, a long time still untonight:

neither [is it] time that the cattle should be gathered together;
off of the pastures, to be had home, and put into folds, which was usually done in the evening:

water ye the sheep, and go [and] feed [them];
give them water out of the well to drink, and then lead them out the pastures, and let them feed until the night is coming on: this he said not in an authoritative way, or in a surly ill natured manner, and as reproving them for their slothfulness; but kindly and gently giving his advice, who was a shepherd himself, and knew what was proper to be done; and this appears by the shepherds taking in good part what he said, and returning a civil answer.

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FOOTNOTES:

F3 (lwdg) "magnus", Pagninus, Montanus, Drusius; "multus", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Schmidt; "multum adhuc suparet diei", Vatablus.

Genesis 29:7 In-Context

5 Then he said to them, "Do you know Laban, Nahor's grandson?" They said, "We know him."

6 He said to them, "Is he well?" They said, "He's fine. In fact, this is his daughter Rachel now, coming with the flock."

7 He said to them, "It's now only the middle of the day. It's not time yet to gather the animals. Water the flock, and then go, put them out to pasture."

8 They said to him, "We can't until all the herds are gathered, and then we roll the stone away from the well's opening and water the flock."

9 While he was still talking to them, Rachel came with her father's flock since she was its shepherd.