Genesis 30:35

35 But that very day Laban removed all the mottled and spotted billy goats and all the speckled and spotted nanny-goats, every animal that had even a touch of white on it plus all the black sheep and placed them under the care of his sons.

Genesis 30:35 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 30:35

And he removed that day the he goats that were ringstraked
and spotted
That had strakes of a different colour from the rest on their shoulders, thighs, logs, or feet, or in any part of the body: the word here used stands in the room of that before translated "speckled"; this Laban did, as the context shows; he went about it immediately at the motion of Jacob, with which he was pleased: and all the she goats that were speckled and spotted;
so that there might be neither male nor female of those mixed colours; this he did to prevent any generation of them: [and] everyone that had [some] white in it;
any white spot in it, as the Targum of Jonathan; that is, everyone of the brown or black colour, that had any white in it: and all the brown among the sheep:
that were entirely so: and, gave [them] into the hands of his sons;
not the sons of Jacob, as some in Aben Ezra; for they were not fit for the care of a flock, the eldest son, Reuben, not being seven years of age; but the sons of Laban, who were now grown up and fit for such service.

Genesis 30:35 In-Context

33 That way you can check on my honesty when you assess my wages. If you find any goat that's not speckled or spotted or a sheep that's not black, you will know that I stole it."
34 "Fair enough," said Laban. "It's a deal."
35 But that very day Laban removed all the mottled and spotted billy goats and all the speckled and spotted nanny-goats, every animal that had even a touch of white on it plus all the black sheep and placed them under the care of his sons.
36 Then he put a three-day journey between himself and Jacob. Meanwhile Jacob went on tending what was left of Laban's flock.
37 But Jacob got fresh branches from poplar, almond, and plane trees and peeled the bark, leaving white stripes on them.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.