And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.
And he lighted upon a certain place, [Hebrew, wayipga` (H6293) bamaaqowm (H4725)] - and he fell (lighted) upon the place. The verb in the original signifies, to light upon, either with purpose or accidentally. The definite article prefixed to "place" shows that he had purposely chosen as his first night's resting-place the spot which had been distinguished by the encampment of Abraham shortly after his entrance into Canaan (Genesis 12:8); or that, the gates of Luz being shut, he was undesignedly, on his part, compelled to rest for the night, which proved to be 'the place' his grandfather had consecrated. By a forced march he had reached that place, about 48 miles from Beer-sheba, and had to spend the night in the open field. This, after all, is no great hardship; because a native, winding himself in the ample folds of his cloak, and selecting a smooth stone for a pillow, sleeps comfortably under the open canopy of heaven. A warm climate, and an indifference to dirt and dew, easily reconcile an Oriental to such necessities.
He took of the stones ... 'The nature of the soil is an existing comment on the record of the stony territory where Jacob lay' (Clarke's 'Travels').