Genesis 30:35

35 And Laban separated in that day [the] goats, and sheep, goat bucks, and rams, diverse and spotted. Soothly he betook all the flock of one colour, that is, of white, and of black fleece, into the hand(s) of his sons; (And so Laban separated out that day the goats, and sheep, and goat bucks, and rams, that were diversely-coloured, or spotted. And all of the flock that had only one colour, that is, those of white, or of black fleece, he gave to 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 And my rightfulness shall answer to me tomorrow, when the time of covenant shall come before thee; and all that be not diverse, and spotted, and dunned, as well in sheep as in goats, (that) be found at me thou shalt reprove me of theft. (And my righteousness shall answer for me later on, when the time of payment shall come before thee; and if any that be not diverse, or spotted, or dunned, with the sheep as well as with the goats, be found with me, then thou can rebuke me for theft.)
34 And Laban said, I have (it) acceptable that that thou askest. (And Laban said, I find it acceptable what thou hast suggested.)
35 And Laban separated in that day [the] goats, and sheep, goat bucks, and rams, diverse and spotted. Soothly he betook all the flock of one colour, that is, of white, and of black fleece, into the hand(s) of his sons; (And so Laban separated out that day the goats, and sheep, and goat bucks, and rams, that were diversely-coloured, or spotted. And all of the flock that had only one colour, that is, those of white, or of black fleece, he gave to his sons;)
36 and he set the space of (the) way of three days betwixt his sons, and the husband of his daughters, that fed his other flocks.
37 Therefore Jacob took green rods of poplars, and of almonds, and of planes, and in part he did away the rind(s) of them; and when the rinds were drawn away, either shaved, whiteness appeared in these that were made bare; soothly those that were whole dwelled green, and by this manner the colour was made diverse. (And so Jacob took some branches of green poplars, and of almonds, and of planes, and he partly did away their rinds; and where the rinds were drawn away, or shaved, whiteness appeared on the places that were made bare, but where the branches were not touched, they remained green; and so by this manner the colour was made diverse.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.