And he lighted upon a certain place,—literally, he struck upon the place; i.e. either the place best suited for him to rest in (Inglis), or the place appointed for him by God (Ainsworth, Bush), or more probably the well-known place afterwards mentioned (Keil, Wordsworth, 'Speaker's Commentary').
Situated in the mountains of Ephraim, about three hours north of Jerusalem, it was not reached after one, but after several days' journey (cf. Genesis 22:4)—and tarried there all night, because the sun was set;—being either remote from the city Luz when overtaken by darkness, or unwilling to enter the town; not because he hated the inhabitants (Josephus), but because he was a stranger—and he took of the stones of that place,—i.
e. one of the stones (vide Genesis 28:18). "The track (of pilgrims) winds through an uneven valley, covered, as with gravestones, by large sheets of bare rock; some few here and there standing up like the cromlechs of Druidical monuments"—and put them for his pillows,—literally, and put for his head-bolster, the word signifying that which is at the head of any one (cf.
1 Samuel 19:13; 1 Samuel 26:7, 1 Samuel 26:11, 1 Samuel 26:16; 1 Kings 19:6)—and lay down in that place to sleep (cf. Genesis 19:4; 1 Samuel 3:5, 1 Samuel 3:6, 1 Samuel 3:9).