Genesis 30:31

31 "So, what should I pay you?"

Genesis 30:31 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 30:31

And he said, what shall I give thee?
&c.] So said Laban to Jacob, still avoiding making any offer himself, but waiting for Jacob, and pressing upon him to fix his wages: and Jacob said, thou shalt not give me anything;
a speech Laban liked very well: his meaning is, that he should give him no certain settled salary, nor even of anything that Laban was now possessed of, and God had blessed him with for his sake he did not desire any part of it; but if thou wilt do this thing for me;
which he was about to mention, and does in ( Genesis 30:32 ) ; I will again feed [and] keep thy flock;
there is an elegance in the original; "I will return, I will feed, I will keep thy flock": it seems by this that Jacob had relinquished the care of the flock, upon the time of his servitude being out; but, upon the following condition, proposes to return to it, lead it out to the pastures, and feed it on them, and keep it night and day, as he had used to do.

Genesis 30:31 In-Context

29 Jacob replied, "You know well what my work has meant to you and how your livestock has flourished under my care.

30 The little you had when I arrived has increased greatly; everything I did resulted in blessings for you. Isn't it about time that I do something for my own family?"

31 "So, what should I pay you?"

32 Go through your entire flock today and take out every speckled or spotted sheep, every dark-colored lamb, every spotted or speckled goat. They will be my wages.

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."