Genesis 30:36

36 and sett thre dayes ourney ibetwixte hiselfe and Iacob. And so Iacob kepte ye rest of Labas shepe.

Genesis 30:36 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 30:36

And he set three days' journey between himself and Jacob
Not three days' journey for a man, but for cattle; this distance there was between the place where Laban and his sons kept the spotted, speckled, and brown cattle, and that in which Jacob kept the flock only consisting of white sheep; and this was done, that the flocks might not be mixed, and that there might be no opportunity to take any of the spotted ones, and that they might not stray into Jacob's flock; or lest any of his seeing them might bring forth the like, such precaution was used: and Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flock;
those that remained after the spotted, speckled, and brown were taken out; and Jacob having none but white sheep, there was no great likelihood, according to the course of nature, of his having much for his hire; since he was only to have the spotted, speckled, and brown ones that came from them, and generally like begets like; and, according to the Jewish writers ^F16, those that were committed to his care were old and barren, and sick, and infirm, that so he might have no profit from them.

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 Bereshit Rabba, sect. 73. fol. 64. 1. Targum Jon. & Jarchi in loc.

Genesis 30:36 In-Context

34 Than sayde Laban: loo I am contete that it be acordinge as thou hast sayde.

35 And he toke out that same daye the he gootes that were partie and of dyuerse coloures and all the she gootes that were spotted and partie coloured and all that had whyte in the and all the blacke amonge the lambes: ad put the in the kepinge of his sonnes

36 and sett thre dayes ourney ibetwixte hiselfe and Iacob. And so Iacob kepte ye rest of Labas shepe.

37 Iacob toke roddes of grene popular hasell and of chestnottrees and pilled whyte strakes in the and made the white apere in the staues:

38 And he put the staues which he had pilled eue before ye shepe in the gutters and watrynge troughes whe the shepe came to drynke: yt they shulde coceaue whe they came to drynke.