Commentary— Tyndale Open Study Notes (plain English)
30:37-43 God blessed Jacob despite Laban’s duplicity. Not to be outwitted, Jacob used selective breeding to acquire a flock, following the traditional belief that peeled sticks influenced the kind of animal that would be born. The peeled branches seemingly made his animals produce streaked and spotted young; Jacob later acknowledged that God had prospered him (31:7-12). Jacob gained stronger animals for himself and weaker ones for Laban (30:41-42). 30:37 making white streaks: A clever wordplay captures the meaning of this whole section. When Jacob exposed the white (Hebrew laban) streaks of wood underneath, he played the “white” game (the Laban game) and won. As he outwitted Laban (“Whitey”), Jacob’s flocks flourished and Jacob prospered.
Commentary— Tyndale Open Study Notes (plain English)
30:37-43 God blessed Jacob despite Laban’s duplicity. Not to be outwitted, Jacob used selective breeding to acquire a flock, following the traditional belief that peeled sticks influenced the kind of animal that would be born. The peeled branches seemingly made his animals produce streaked and spotted young; Jacob later acknowledged that God had prospered him (31:7-12). Jacob gained stronger animals for himself and weaker ones for Laban (30:41-42). 30:37 making white streaks: A clever wordplay captures the meaning of this whole section. When Jacob exposed the white (Hebrew laban) streaks of wood underneath, he played the “white” game (the Laban game) and won. As he outwitted Laban (“Whitey”), Jacob’s flocks flourished and Jacob prospered.
Literal English (Darby)ⓘThe Darby Bible (1890) — a deliberately literal, word-for-word translation used here as the Old Testament comparison text.The Darby Bible (1890) — a deliberately literal, word-for-word translation used here as the Old Testament comparison text.
And he set the rods which he had peeled before the flock, in the troughs at the watering-places where the flock came to drink, and they were ardent when they came to drink.
Hebrew (Masoretic Text)ⓘThe Masoretic Text — the authoritative Hebrew manuscript tradition behind most Old Testaments, standardized by Jewish scribes (the Masoretes) between roughly the 7th and 10th centuries AD.The Masoretic Text — the authoritative Hebrew manuscript tradition behind most Old Testaments, standardized by Jewish scribes (the Masoretes) between roughly the 7th and 10th centuries AD.
King James Version (1611) — the classic formal, word-for-word English translation. Historic and widely memorized, but uses Early Modern English vocabulary.
King James Version (1611) — the classic formal, word-for-word English translation. Historic and widely memorized, but uses Early Modern English vocabulary.
And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink.
American Standard VersionⓘAmerican Standard Version (1901) — a more literal, precision-focused revision in the King James tradition.American Standard Version (1901) — a more literal, precision-focused revision in the King James tradition.
And he set the rods which he had peeled over against the flocks in the gutters in the watering-troughs where the flocks came to drink; and they conceived when they came to drink.
World English BibleⓘWorld English Bible — a modern, public-domain update to the KJV/ASV formal style, without archaic language.World English Bible — a modern, public-domain update to the KJV/ASV formal style, without archaic language.
He set the rods which he had peeled opposite the flocks in the watering troughs where the flocks came to drink. They conceived when they came to drink.
Bible in Basic EnglishⓘBible in Basic English (1949) — deliberately written using a limited vocabulary of about 1,000 words.Bible in Basic English (1949) — deliberately written using a limited vocabulary of about 1,000 words.
And he put the banded sticks in the drinking-places where the flock came to get water; and they became with young when they came to the water.