The text contains no transition marker other than the common connective between the general statement in verse 1 and the statement about Jacob seeing the well in Gen 29.2. In many languages this is too abrupt and needs to be adjusted to say, for example, “When he reached that place” or “When he got there….” Bible en français courant says “One day he saw….”

As he looked, he saw a well in the field: the Hebrew sentence uses hinneh, commonly rendered “behold” elsewhere by Revised Standard Version. This particle is probably used to emphasize the vivid image of the well and to give an element of surprise. Wells were an uncommon and highly welcomed sight to travelers. Good News Translation expresses the element of surprise with “Suddenly.” Well refers here not to a spring or cistern but to a dug well. Field is the same term as used in 25.27, 29, which referred to the place where Esau hunted game. This is not a cultivated field but rather open grazing country. Moffatt says “in the open country,” Good News Translation (Australian edition) “out in the country,” New Jerusalem Bible “out in the open.” It is called “open” in English because such areas are not surrounded by any kind of enclosure such as a hedge or fence and are outside of the town area.

And lo, three flocks of sheep lying beside it: lo is the translation of hinneh, and that term is repeated here to emphasize Jacob’s surprise at what he saw (sheep gathered around a well in the middle of the day). The word translated sheep refers to sheep and goats. Three flocks depicts these animals as gathered into three groups.

Since the well was in the open country, it is very likely that Jacob saw the sheep before he actually saw the well. A translation that takes account of this order says “He was looking around and he saw three flocks of sheep lying near a well.” Lying pictures these animals as resting on the ground.

In the remainder of verse 2 and all of verse 3, the verbs in Hebrew describe a customary practice, actions that were taken daily to water the sheep. The flocks were watered means that the sheep herders gave their flocks water from this well daily.

The stone on the well’s mouth was large: the stone covered the opening of the well, and water could not be drawn until the stone had been removed. The stone is not a large rock or bolder but a thick flat stone that lay over the opening of the well to keep objects from falling in and to control the use of the water. Hebrew, like many other languages, uses mouth to refer to the opening of the well. Other expressions that are often used are “the eye of the well” or “over the top of the well.”

We may restructure verse 2 to say, for example:

• One day Jacob came to a well out in the open country, where the sheep herders watered their animals. Three flocks of sheep and goats were lying near the well, and a large stone was still covering the opening.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .