Genesis 30:41

41 It happened, whenever the stronger of the flock conceived, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the flock in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods;

Genesis 30:41 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 30:41

And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger cattle did
conceive
Whose limbs were well compact, and were strong and healthy: that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the cattle in the gutters,
that they might conceive among the rods;
and bring forth party coloured ones, and such as were robust and strong like themselves; and this was another device of Jacob's to get the best of the flock. Aben Ezra thinks this refers to the two seasons of the year, when the flocks conceived; the one was in Nisan, in the spring, and such as were brought on that conception were strong, and therefore Jacob chose to lay the rods in the gutters at that time, that he might have the best cattle; and so the Targum of Jonathan calls these here the forward ones, as it does those in ( Genesis 30:42 ) we render feeble, the latter ones; which, according to Aben Ezra, conceived in Tisri or September, and what they brought were weak and feeble. (Based on the laws of genetics, Jacob's breeding of the best of the flock would produce higher quality offspring. Ed.)

Genesis 30:41 In-Context

39 The flocks conceived before the rods, and the flocks brought forth streaked, speckled, and spotted.

40 Jacob separated the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the streaked and all the black in the flock of Laban: and he put his own droves apart, and didn't put them into Laban's flock.

41 It happened, whenever the stronger of the flock conceived, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the flock in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods;

42 but when the flock were feeble, he didn't put them in. So the feebler were Laban's, and the stronger Jacob's.

43 The man increased exceedingly, and had large flocks, maid-servants and men-servants, and camels and donkeys.