Genesis 30:42

42 Forsooth when the late mixing, or engendering, and the last conceivings were, Jacob put not (up) those rods; and those that were late engendered, were made Laban's, and those that were of the first time engendered, were Jacob's. (But when the weaker rams mated, Jacob did not put up the branches; and so the weaker offspring were made Laban's, and the stronger ones were made Jacob's.)

Genesis 30:42 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 30:42

And when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in
Or "when covered", as Menachem, that is, with wool, and so not so desirous of copulation with the males, nor so fit and strong for generation; and therefore he put not in the rods into the gutters, partly that he might have none feeble in his flock, and partly that he might not spoil Laban of his whole flock, strong and weak: so the feebler were Laban's, and the stronger Jacob's;
not only his flocks became more numerous than Laban's, but were a better quality.

Genesis 30:42 In-Context

40 And Jacob separated the flock, and put the rods in the [water] troughs, before the eyes of the rams (And so Jacob separated out the flock, and put up the branches in the water troughs, before the eyes of the rams). Soothly all the white and [the] black were Laban's; soothly all the others were Jacob's; for the flocks were separated (out) betwixt themselves.
41 Therefore when the sheep were ridden in the first time, Jacob put the rods in the water troughs before the eyes of rams, and of ewe sheep, that they should conceive in the sight of the rods. (And so when the sheep were ridden by the stronger rams, Jacob put up the branches in the water troughs before the eyes of the rams, and the ewe sheep, so that they would conceive in front of the branches.)
42 Forsooth when the late mixing, or engendering, and the last conceivings were, Jacob put not (up) those rods; and those that were late engendered, were made Laban's, and those that were of the first time engendered, were Jacob's. (But when the weaker rams mated, Jacob did not put up the branches; and so the weaker offspring were made Laban's, and the stronger ones were made Jacob's.)
43 And Jacob was made full rich, and had many flocks, handmaids, and menservants, camels, and asses. (And Jacob was made very rich, and had many flocks, and male and female slaves, and camels, and donkeys.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.