The Flocks of Jacob

30:25 After Rachel had given birth49 to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send50 me on my way so that I can go51 home to my own country.52 30:26 Let me take my wives and my children whom I have acquired by working for you.53 Then I’ll depart,54 because you know how hard I’ve worked for you.”55

30:27 But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your sight, please stay here,56 for I have learned by divination57 that the Lord has blessed me on account of you.” 30:28 He added, “Just name your wages—I’ll pay whatever you want.”58

30:29 “You know how I have worked for you,” Jacob replied,59 “and how well your livestock have fared under my care.60 30:30 Indeed,61 you had little before I arrived,62 but now your possessions have increased many times over.63 The Lord has blessed you wherever I worked.64 But now, how long must it be before I do something for my own family too?”65

30:31 So Laban asked,66 “What should I give you?” “You don’t need to give me a thing,”67 Jacob replied,68 “but if you agree to this one condition,69 I will continue to care for70 your flocks and protect them: 30:32 Let me walk among71 all your flocks today and remove from them every speckled or spotted sheep, every dark-colored lamb,72 and the spotted or speckled goats.73 These animals will be my wages.74 30:33 My integrity will testify for me75 later on.76 When you come to verify that I’ve taken only the wages we agreed on,77 if I have in my possession any goat that is not speckled or spotted or any sheep that is not dark-colored, it will be considered stolen.”78 30:34 “Agreed!” said Laban, “It will be as you say.”79

30:35 So that day Laban80 removed the male goats that were streaked or spotted, all the female goats that were speckled or spotted (all that had any white on them), and all the dark-colored lambs, and put them in the care81 of his sons. 30:36 Then he separated them from Jacob by a three-day journey,82 while83 Jacob was taking care of the rest of Laban’s flocks.

30:37 But Jacob took fresh-cut branches from poplar, almond, and plane trees. He made white streaks by peeling them, making the white inner wood in the branches visible. 30:38 Then he set up the peeled branches in all the watering troughs where the flocks came to drink. He set up the branches in front of the flocks when they were in heat and came to drink.84 30:39 When the sheep mated85 in front of the branches, they86 gave birth to young that were streaked or speckled or spotted. 30:40 Jacob removed these lambs, but he made the rest of the flock face87 the streaked and completely dark-colored animals in Laban’s flock. So he made separate flocks for himself and did not mix them with Laban’s flocks. 30:41 When the stronger females were in heat,88 Jacob would set up the branches in the troughs in front of the flock, so they would mate near the branches. 30:42 But if the animals were weaker, he did not set the branches there.89 So the weaker animals ended up belonging to Laban90 and the stronger animals to Jacob. 30:43 In this way Jacob91 became extremely prosperous. He owned92 large flocks, male and female servants, camels, and donkeys.