The Fallible Study Bible

The Fallible · Synthetic · Study Bible

Genesis30:25–43

Jacob Prospers

Public-domain source — quoted & attributed AI synthesis — generated, verify

Genesis 30:25–43 — Jacob Prospers. Each verse below carries the full apparatus: the Berean Standard Bible, the vocalized original (tap any word), and a parsed breakdown of every term transcribed from the interlinear. Synthesized commentary, canonical threads, and the reading of Christ gather at the end, over the whole unit.

25

Now after Rachel had given birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me on my way so I can return to my homeland.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

way·hî ka·’ă·šer rā·ḥêl ’eṯ- yā·lə·ḏāh yō·w·sêp̄ ya·‘ă·qōḇ way·yō·mer ’el- lā·ḇān šal·lə·ḥê·nî wə·’ê·lə·ḵāh ’el- mə·qō·w·mî ū·lə·’ar·ṣî

Word by word15 · parsed
וַיְהִ֕יway·hîNowH1961
√ hâyâh — to exist, iConjunctive wawVerbQalConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine singular
וַיְהִי — the formulaic narrative opener; the same root frames the unit (cf. v. 43).
כַּאֲשֶׁ֛רka·’ă·šerafterH834
√ ʼăsher — who, which, what, thatPreposition-kPronounrelative
רָחֵ֖לrā·ḥêlRachelH7354
√ Râchêl — Rachel, a wife of JacobNounproperfeminine singular
Rachel (rā·ḥêl, H7354), the long-loved wife; her name means “ewe” — fitting for a chapter whose whole drama unfolds among the flocks.
אֶת־’eṯ-H853
√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker
יָלְדָ֥הyā·lə·ḏāhhad given birth toH3205
√ yâlad — to bear youngVerbQalPerfectthird person feminine singular
יוֹסֵ֑ףyō·w·sêp̄JosephH3130
√ Yôwçêph — Joseph, the name of seven IsraelitesNounpropermasculine singular
Joseph (yō·w·sêp̄, H3130), “may he add,” born at 30:24; his arrival is the trigger. Barnes fixes the chronology: the birth “took place at the earliest in the fifteenth year of his sojourn with Laban.” The end of the second seven-year term, the birth of the longed-for son, and the impulse to go home all coincide.
יַעֲקֹב֙ya·‘ă·qōḇJacobH3290
√ Yaʻăqôb — Jaakob, the Israelitish patriarchNounpropermasculine singular
וַיֹּ֤אמֶרway·yō·mersaidH559
√ ʼâmar — to say (used with great latitude)Conjunctive wawVerbQalConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine singular
אֶל־’el-toH413
√ ʼêl — near, with or amongPreposition
לָבָ֔ןlā·ḇānLabanH3837
√ Lâbân — Laban, a MesopotamianNounpropermasculine singular
שַׁלְּחֵ֙נִי֙šal·lə·ḥê·nîSend me on my wayH7971
√ shâlach — to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications)VerbPielImperativemasculine singularfirst person common singular
שַׁלְּחֵנִי — Piel imperative, “release me.” The very first word out of Jacob’s mouth in twenty years of recorded silence is a plea for freedom.
וְאֵ֣לְכָ֔הwə·’ê·lə·ḵāhso I can returnH1980
√ hâlak — to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)Conjunctive wawVerbQalConjunctive imperfect Cohortativefirst person common singular
אֶל־’el-toH413
√ ʼêl — near, with or amongPreposition
מְקוֹמִ֖יmə·qō·w·mîmy homelandH4725
√ mâqôwm — properly, a standing, iNounmasculine singular constructfirst person common singular
מְקוֹמִי (“my place”) — for a man who has lived as a stranger, the word carries the homesickness of the whole exile.
וּלְאַרְצִֽי׃ū·lə·’ar·ṣî. . .H776
√ ʼerets — the earth (at large, or partitively a land)Conjunctive waw, Preposition-lNounfeminine singular constructfirst person common singular
26

Give me my wives and children for whom I have served you, that I may go on my way. You know how hard I have worked for you.”

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

tə·nāh ’eṯ- nā·šay wə·’eṯ- yə·lā·ḏay ’ă·šer ‘ā·ḇaḏ·tî ’ō·ṯə·ḵā bā·hên wə·’ê·lê·ḵāh kî ’at·tāh yā·ḏa‘·tā ’eṯ- ’ă·šer ‘ă·ḇō·ḏā·ṯî ‘ă·ḇaḏ·tî·ḵā

Word by word17 · parsed
תְּנָ֞הtə·nāhGiveH5414
√ nâthan — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etcVerbQalImperativemasculine singularthird person feminine singular
אֶת־’eṯ-[me]H853
√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker
נָשַׁ֣יnā·šaymy wivesH802
√ ʼishshâh — a womanNounfeminine plural constructfirst person common singular
נָשַׁי — “my wives”; the claim presumes that the years of labor have already purchased them.
וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-andH853
√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker
יְלָדַ֗יyə·lā·ḏaychildrenH3206
√ yeled — something born, iNounmasculine plural constructfirst person common singular
אֲשֶׁ֨ר’ă·šerfor whomH834
√ ʼăsher — who, which, what, thatPronounrelative
עָבַ֧דְתִּי‘ā·ḇaḏ·tîI have served youH5647
√ ʻâbad — to work (in any sense)VerbQalPerfectfirst person common singular
עָבַדְתִּי — the leitmotif verb ‘ābad, “to serve”; Jacob frames the whole relationship as labor rendered, not kinship enjoyed.
אֹֽתְךָ֛’ō·ṯə·ḵāH853
√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object markersecond person masculine singular
בָּהֵ֖ןbā·hên
Preposition-bPronounthird person feminine plural
וְאֵלֵ֑כָהwə·’ê·lê·ḵāhthat I may go on my wayH1980
√ hâlak — to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)Conjunctive wawVerbQalConjunctive imperfect Cohortativefirst person common singular
כִּ֚י. . .H3588
√ kîy — (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below)Conjunction
אַתָּ֣ה’at·tāhYouH859
√ ʼattâh — thou and thee, or (plural) ye and youPronounsecond person masculine singular
אַתָּה — the emphatic “thou”; Jacob makes Laban the witness against himself.
יָדַ֔עְתָּyā·ḏa‘·tāknowH3045
√ yâdaʻ — to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing)VerbQalPerfectsecond person masculine singular
אֶת־’eṯ-H853
√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker
אֲשֶׁ֥ר’ă·šerhowH834
√ ʼăsher — who, which, what, thatPronounrelative
עֲבֹדָתִ֖י‘ă·ḇō·ḏā·ṯîhard I have workedH5656
√ ʻăbôdâh — work of any kindNounfeminine singular constructfirst person common singular
עֲבֹדָתִי (“my service,” H5656) — the abstract noun of the same root, completing the fourfold drumbeat of toil.
עֲבַדְתִּֽיךָ׃‘ă·ḇaḏ·tî·ḵāfor youH5647
√ ʻâbad — to work (in any sense)VerbQalPerfectfirst person common singularsecond person masculine singular
27

But Laban replied, “If I have found favor in your eyes, please stay. I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you.”

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

lā·ḇān way·yō·mer ’ê·lāw ’im- mā·ṣā·ṯî ḥên bə·‘ê·ne·ḵā nā ni·ḥaš·tî Yah·weh way·ḇā·ră·ḵê·nî biḡ·lā·le·ḵā

Word by word12 · parsed
לָבָ֔ןlā·ḇānBut LabanH3837
√ Lâbân — Laban, a MesopotamianNounpropermasculine singular
וַיֹּ֤אמֶרway·yō·merrepliedH559
√ ʼâmar — to say (used with great latitude)Conjunctive wawVerbQalConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine singular
אֵלָיו֙’ê·lāw. . .H413
√ ʼêl — near, with or amongPrepositionthird person masculine singular
אִם־’im-IfH518
√ ʼim — used very widely as demonstrative, lo!Conjunction
אִם (’im, H518) — “if”; the conditional that opens a clause Laban never finishes.
מָצָ֥אתִיmā·ṣā·ṯîI have foundH4672
√ mâtsâʼ — properly, to come forth to, iVerbQalPerfectfirst person common singular
חֵ֖ןḥênfavorH2580
√ chên — graciousness, iNounmasculine singular
בְּעֵינֶ֑יךָbə·‘ê·ne·ḵāin your eyesH5869
√ ʻayin — an eye (literally or figuratively)Preposition-bNouncdcsecond person masculine singular
נָ֛אplease stayH4994
√ nâʼ — 'I pray', 'now', or 'then'Interjection
נָא — the particle of polite entreaty; the only word here that the AV/BSB rightly fills out to a request.
נִחַ֕שְׁתִּיni·ḥaš·tîI have learned by divinationH5172
√ nâchash — properly, to hiss, iVerbPielPerfectfirst person common singular
נִחַשְׁתִּי — “I have divined / observed signs.” The lexicon’s root sense is to hiss like a serpent (nāḥaš also names the serpent, Gen 3:1); the very practice this verb denotes will later be expressly forbidden in Israel (Lev 19:26; Deut 18:10). Laban’s piety and his superstition are tangled in one word — he names Yahweh and augurs in the same breath (cf. his teraphim, 31:19).
יְהוָ֖הYah·wehthat the LORDH3068
√ Yᵉhôvâh — Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodNounpropermasculine singular
The covenant name יְהוָה (Yahweh, H3068) on Laban’s lips — a pagan acknowledging the God whose blessing he has merely observed, not embraced.
וַיְבָרֲכֵ֥נִיway·ḇā·ră·ḵê·nîhas blessed meH1288
√ bârak — to kneelConjunctive wawVerbPielConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine singularfirst person common singular
וַיְבָרֲכֵנִי — the patriarchal verb bārak; the blessing of Abraham overflows even onto Jacob’s exploiter.
בִּגְלָלֶֽךָ׃biḡ·lā·le·ḵābecause of youH1558
√ gâlâl — a circumstance (as rolled around)Preposition-bNounmasculine singular constructsecond person masculine singular
28

And he added, “Name your wages, and I will pay them.”

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

way·yō·mar nā·qə·ḇāh śə·ḵā·rə·ḵā ‘ā·lay wə·’et·tê·nāh

Word by word5 · parsed
וַיֹּאמַ֑רway·yō·marAnd he addedH559
√ ʼâmar — to say (used with great latitude)Conjunctive wawVerbQalConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine singular
נָקְבָ֧הnā·qə·ḇāhNameH5344
√ nâqab — to puncture, literally (to perforate, with more or less violence) or figuratively (to specify, designate, libel)VerbQalImperativemasculine singularthird person feminine singular
נָקְבָה — “bore through / specify”; the demand for an exact figure, voiced by the man least likely to keep one.
שְׂכָרְךָ֛śə·ḵā·rə·ḵāyour wagesH7939
√ sâkâr — payment of contractNounmasculine singular constructsecond person masculine singular
שְׂכָרְךָśākār, “wages”; the keyword that will be redefined three verses later in the strange currency of colored sheep.
עָלַ֖י‘ā·lay. . .H5921
√ ʻal — above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsPrepositionfirst person common singular
וְאֶתֵּֽנָה׃wə·’et·tê·nāhand I will pay themH5414
√ nâthan — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etcConjunctive wawVerbQalConjunctive imperfect Cohortativefirst person common singular
עָלַי — “upon me,” binding the obligation to Laban; the wage is to be a debt, not a gift.
29

Then Jacob answered, “You know how I have served you and how your livestock have thrived under my care.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

way·yō·mer ’ê·lāw ’at·tāh yā·ḏa‘·tā ’êṯ ’ă·šer ‘ă·ḇaḏ·tî·ḵā wə·’êṯ ’ă·šer- miq·nə·ḵā hā·yāh ’it·tî

Word by word12 · parsed
וַיֹּ֣אמֶרway·yō·merThen [Jacob] answeredH559
√ ʼâmar — to say (used with great latitude)Conjunctive wawVerbQalConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine singular
אֵלָ֔יו’ê·lāw. . .H413
√ ʼêl — near, with or amongPrepositionthird person masculine singular
אַתָּ֣ה’at·tāhYouH859
√ ʼattâh — thou and thee, or (plural) ye and youPronounsecond person masculine singular
אַתָּה — the emphatic “thou,” answering Laban’s claim to special insight with a claim to common knowledge.
יָדַ֔עְתָּyā·ḏa‘·tāknowH3045
√ yâdaʻ — to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing)VerbQalPerfectsecond person masculine singular
אֵ֖ת’êṯH853
√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker
אֲשֶׁ֣ר’ă·šerhowH834
√ ʼăsher — who, which, what, thatPronounrelative
עֲבַדְתִּ֑יךָ‘ă·ḇaḏ·tî·ḵāI have served youH5647
√ ʻâbad — to work (in any sense)VerbQalPerfectfirst person common singularsecond person masculine singular
עֲבַדְתִּיךָ — “I-have-served-thee”; the ‘ābad drumbeat from v. 26 continues.
וְאֵ֛תwə·’êṯandH853
√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker
אֲשֶׁר־’ă·šer-howH834
√ ʼăsher — who, which, what, thatPronounrelative
מִקְנְךָ֖miq·nə·ḵāyour livestockH4735
√ miqneh — something bought, iNounmasculine singular constructsecond person masculine singular
מִקְנְךָ — “thy livestock,” literally “thy acquisition”; in this world cattle and capital are the same word.
הָיָ֥הhā·yāhhave thrivedH1961
√ hâyâh — to exist, iVerbQalPerfectthird person masculine singular
אִתִּֽי׃’it·tîunder my careH854
√ ʼêth — properly, nearness (used only as a preposition or an adverb), nearPrepositionfirst person common singular
אִתִּי — the spare “with me” on which the Pulpit Commentary hangs the whole increase: to what a number they have grown.
30

Indeed, you had very little before my arrival, but now your wealth has increased many times over. The LORD has blessed you wherever I set foot. But now, when may I also provide for my own household?”

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

kî hā·yāh lə·ḵā mə·‘aṭ ’ă·šer- lə·p̄ā·nay lā·rōḇ way·yip̄·rōṣ Yah·weh way·ḇā·reḵ ’ō·ṯə·ḵā lə·raḡ·lî wə·‘at·tāh mā·ṯay ’ā·nō·ḵî ḡam- ’e·‘ĕ·śeh lə·ḇê·ṯî

Word by word18 · parsed
כִּ֡יIndeedH3588
√ kîy — (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below)Conjunction
הָיָ֨הhā·yāhyou hadH1961
√ hâyâh — to exist, iVerbQalPerfectthird person masculine singular
לְךָ֤lə·ḵā. . .
Prepositionsecond person masculine singular
מְעַט֩mə·‘aṭvery littleH4592
√ mᵉʻaṭ — a little or few (often adverbial or comparAdjectivemasculine singular
מְעַט (mə·‘aṭ, H4592) — “a little”; the deliberate contrast that sets up the explosion of pāraṣ.
אֲשֶׁר־’ă·šer-H834
√ ʼăsher — who, which, what, thatPronounrelative
לְפָנַי֙lə·p̄ā·naybefore my arrivalH6440
√ pânîym — the face (as the part that turns)Preposition-lNounmasculine plural constructfirst person common singular
לָרֹ֔בlā·rōḇbut now your wealthH7230
√ rôb — abundance (in any respect)Preposition-l, ArticleNounmasculine singular
וַיִּפְרֹ֣ץway·yip̄·rōṣhas increased many times overH6555
√ pârats — to break out (in many applications, direct and indirect, literal and figurative)Conjunctive wawVerbQalConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine singular
וַיִּפְרֹץ — “broke forth”; the Bethel blessing-word, here describing Laban’s herds and, by v. 43, Jacob’s own.
יְהוָ֛הYah·wehThe LORDH3068
√ Yᵉhôvâh — Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodNounpropermasculine singular
וַיְבָ֧רֶךְway·ḇā·reḵhas blessedH1288
√ bârak — to kneelConjunctive wawVerbPielConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine singular
וַיְבָרֶךְbārak again; the unit keeps insisting it is Yahweh, not animal husbandry, who multiplies.
אֹתְךָ֖’ō·ṯə·ḵāyouH853
√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object markersecond person masculine singular
לְרַגְלִ֑יlə·raḡ·lîwherever I set footH7272
√ regel — a foot (as used in walking)Preposition-lNounfeminine singular constructfirst person common singular
לְרַגְלִי — “at my foot,” the idiom for prosperity that travels with a person; the Verifier ties it to Joshua 9:5 by the shared word regel.
וְעַתָּ֗הwə·‘at·tāhBut nowH6258
√ ʻattâh — at this time, whether adverb, conjunction or expletiveConjunctive wawAdverb
מָתַ֛יmā·ṯaywhenH4970
√ mâthay — properly, extent (of time)Interrogative
אָנֹכִ֖י’ā·nō·ḵîmay IH595
√ ʼânôkîy — IPronounfirst person common singular
גַם־ḡam-alsoH1571
√ gam — properly, assemblageConjunction
אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֥ה’e·‘ĕ·śehprovideH6213
√ ʻâsâh — to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest applicationVerbQalImperfectfirst person common singular
אֶעֱשֶׂה (’e·‘ĕ·śeh, from ‘āśāh, H6213) — “shall I do/make,” here “provide”; the same broad verb that names Jacob’s craft below.
לְבֵיתִֽי׃lə·ḇê·ṯîfor my own householdH1004
√ bayith — a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etcPreposition-lNounmasculine singular constructfirst person common singular
31

“What can I give you?” Laban asked. “You do not need to give me anything,” Jacob replied. “If you do this one thing for me, I will keep on shepherding and keeping your flocks.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

māh ’et·ten- lāḵ way·yō·mer lō- ṯit·ten- lî mə·’ū·māh ya·‘ă·qōḇ way·yō·mer ’im- ta·‘ă·śeh- haz·zeh had·dā·ḇār lî ’ā·šū·ḇāh ’er·‘eh ’eš·mōr ṣō·nə·ḵā

Word by word19 · parsed
מָ֣הmāhWhatH4100
√ mâh — properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?)Interrogative
אֶתֶּן־’et·ten-can I giveH5414
√ nâthan — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etcVerbQalImperfectfirst person common singular
לָ֑ךְlāḵyou
Prepositionsecond person masculine singular
וַיֹּ֖אמֶרway·yō·merLaban askedH559
√ ʼâmar — to say (used with great latitude)Conjunctive wawVerbQalConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine singular
לֹא־lō-You do notH3808
√ lôʼ — not (the simple or absAdverbNegative particle
תִתֶּן־ṯit·ten-need to giveH5414
√ nâthan — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etcVerbQalImperfectsecond person masculine singular
תִתֶּן (nāṯan, H5414) — “give”; the verb Laban offers and Jacob waves away, the same root that closes v. 28.
לִ֣יme
Prepositionfirst person common singular
מְא֔וּמָהmə·’ū·māhanythingH3972
√ mᵉʼûwmâh — properly, a speck or point, iNounmasculine singular
מְאוּמָה — “anything, a speck”; Jacob will be beholden to no portion of Laban’s present stock.
יַעֲקֹב֙ya·‘ă·qōḇJacob repliedH3290
√ Yaʻăqôb — Jaakob, the Israelitish patriarchNounpropermasculine singular
וַיֹּ֤אמֶרway·yō·mer. . .H559
√ ʼâmar — to say (used with great latitude)Conjunctive wawVerbQalConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine singular
אִם־’im-IfH518
√ ʼim — used very widely as demonstrative, lo!Conjunction
תַּֽעֲשֶׂה־ta·‘ă·śeh-you doH6213
√ ʻâsâh — to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest applicationVerbQalImperfectsecond person masculine singular
הַזֶּ֔הhaz·zehthisH2088
√ zeh — the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or thatArticlePronounmasculine singular
הַדָּבָ֣רhad·dā·ḇārone thingH1697
√ dâbâr — a wordArticleNounmasculine singular
לִּי֙for me
Prepositionfirst person common singular
אָשׁ֛וּבָה’ā·šū·ḇāhI will keep onH7725
√ shûwb — to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point)VerbQalImperfect Cohortativefirst person common singular
אָשׁוּבָה — first of three cohortatives; Gill hears the rhetorical force of the piled verbs.
אֶרְעֶ֥ה’er·‘ehshepherdingH7462
√ râʻâh — to tend a flockVerbQalImperfect Cohortative if contextualfirst person common singular
אֶרְעֶה (rā‘āh, H7462) — “I will shepherd/feed”; the verb that defines Jacob’s vocation through the whole episode (cf. v. 36).
אֶשְׁמֹֽר׃’eš·mōrand keepingH8104
√ shâmar — properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), iVerbQalImperfect Cohortative if contextualfirst person common singular
צֹֽאנְךָ֖ṣō·nə·ḵāyour flocksH6629
√ tsôʼn — a collective name for a flock (of sheep or goats)Nounfeminine singular constructsecond person masculine singular
32

Let me go through all your flocks today and remove from them every speckled or spotted sheep, every dark-colored lamb, and every spotted or speckled goat. These will be my wages.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

’e·‘ĕ·ḇōr bə·ḵāl ṣō·nə·ḵā hay·yō·wm hā·sêr miš·šām kāl- nā·qōḏ wə·ṭā·lū śeh wə·ḵāl ḥūm śeh- bak·kə·śā·ḇîm wə·ṭā·lū wə·nā·qōḏ bā·‘iz·zîm wə·hā·yāh śə·ḵā·rî

Word by word19 · parsed
אֶֽעֱבֹ֨ר’e·‘ĕ·ḇōrLet me goH5674
√ ʻâbar — to cross overVerbQalImperfect Cohortative if contextualfirst person common singular
אֶעֱבֹר (‘āḇar, H5674) — “let me pass over/through”; the cohortative that governs the infinitive hāsēr and fixes Jacob as the actor.
בְּכָל־bə·ḵālthrough allH3605
√ kôl — properly, the wholePreposition-bNounmasculine singular construct
צֹֽאנְךָ֜ṣō·nə·ḵāyour flocksH6629
√ tsôʼn — a collective name for a flock (of sheep or goats)Nounfeminine singular constructsecond person masculine singular
הַיּ֗וֹםhay·yō·wmtodayH3117
√ yôwm — a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)ArticleNounmasculine singular
הָסֵ֨רhā·sêrand removeH5493
√ çûwr — to turn off (literal or figurative)VerbHifilInfinitive absolute
הָסֵר — infinitive absolute, “to remove”; the grammatical crux Keil uses to read the verse.
מִשָּׁ֜םmiš·šāmfrom themH8033
√ shâm — there (transferring to time) thenPreposition-mAdverb
כָּל־kāl-everyH3605
√ kôl — properly, the wholeNounmasculine singular construct
נָקֹ֣דnā·qōḏspeckledH5348
√ nâqôd — spottedAdjectivemasculine singular
נָקֹד — “speckled,” a rare lexeme (7 verses) that the Verifier uses to bind this verse to 31:8, 31:10, and 31:12.
וְטָל֗וּאwə·ṭā·lūor spottedH2921
√ ṭâlâʼ — properly, to cover with piecesConjunctive wawVerbQalQalPassParticiplemasculine singular
טָלוּא (ṭālû, H2921) — “spotted/patched,” rarer still (6 verses); literally “covered with pieces.”
שֶׂ֣ה׀śehsheepH7716
√ seh — a member of a flock, iNounmasculine singular
וְכָל־wə·ḵāleveryH3605
√ kôl — properly, the wholeConjunctive wawNounmasculine singular construct
חוּם֙ḥūmdark-coloredH2345
√ chûwm — sunburnt or swarthy (blackish)Adjectivemasculine singular
שֶׂה־śeh-vvvH7716
√ seh — a member of a flock, iNounmasculine singular
בַּכְּשָׂבִ֔יםbak·kə·śā·ḇîmlambH3775
√ keseb — a young sheepPreposition-b, ArticleNounmasculine plural
וְטָל֥וּאwə·ṭā·lūand every spottedH2921
√ ṭâlâʼ — properly, to cover with piecesConjunctive wawVerbQalQalPassParticiplemasculine singular
וְנָקֹ֖דwə·nā·qōḏor speckledH5348
√ nâqôd — spottedConjunctive wawAdjectivemasculine singular
בָּעִזִּ֑יםbā·‘iz·zîmgoatH5795
√ ʻêz — a she-goat (as strong), but masculine in plural (which also is used elliptically for goat's hair)Preposition-b, ArticleNounfeminine plural
וְהָיָ֖הwə·hā·yāhThese will beH1961
√ hâyâh — to exist, iConjunctive wawVerbQalConjunctive perfectthird person masculine singular
שְׂכָרִֽי׃śə·ḵā·rîmy wagesH7939
√ sâkâr — payment of contractNounmasculine singular constructfirst person common singular
שְׂכָרִי — “my wages”; the keyword from v. 28 now cashed out in the unlikely coin of off-colored animals.
33

So my honesty will testify for me when you come to check on my wages in the future. If I have any goats that are not speckled or spotted, or any lambs that are not dark-colored, they will be considered stolen.”

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

ṣiḏ·qā·ṯî wə·‘ā·nə·ṯāh- bî kî- ṯā·ḇō·w lə·p̄ā·ne·ḵā ‘al- śə·ḵā·rî bə·yō·wm mā·ḥār ’it·tî kōl bā·‘iz·zîm ’ă·šer- ’ê·nen·nū nā·qōḏ wə·ṭā·lū bak·kə·śā·ḇîm wə·ḥūm hū gā·nūḇ

Word by word21 · parsed
צִדְקָתִי֙ṣiḏ·qā·ṯîSo my honestyH6666
√ tsᵉdâqâh — rightness (abstractly), subjectively (rectitude), objectively (justice), morally (virtue) or figuratively (prosperity)Nounfeminine singular constructfirst person common singular
צִדְקָתִי (ṣᵉdāqāh, H6666) — “my righteousness”; the term that lifts a herding deal into a question of moral standing. It is the very noun “counted” to Abraham in Genesis 15:6, here used in its forensic sense: a status to be publicly vindicated. Jacob does not plead innocence but offers a self-executing proof — the colors of the flock will acquit or convict him without a word.
וְעָֽנְתָה־wə·‘ā·nə·ṯāh-will testifyH6030
√ ʻânâh — properly, to eye or (generally) to heed, iConjunctive wawVerbQalConjunctive perfectthird person feminine singular
וְעָנְתָה — “shall testify”; legal idiom, the color of the flock summoned as a witness — the same verb (‘ānāh) that the Decalogue uses of bearing witness against a neighbor (Exod 20:16).
בִּ֤יfor me
Prepositionfirst person common singular
כִּֽי־kî-whenH3588
√ kîy — (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below)Conjunction
תָב֥וֹאṯā·ḇō·wyou come to checkH935
√ bôwʼ — to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)VerbQalImperfectsecond person masculine singular
לְפָנֶ֑יךָlə·p̄ā·ne·ḵā. . .H6440
√ pânîym — the face (as the part that turns)Preposition-lNouncommon plural constructsecond person masculine singular
עַל־‘al-onH5921
√ ʻal — above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsPreposition
שְׂכָרִ֖יśə·ḵā·rîmy wagesH7939
√ sâkâr — payment of contractNounmasculine singular constructfirst person common singular
בְּי֣וֹםbə·yō·wmin the futureH3117
√ yôwm — a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)Preposition-bNounmasculine singular
בְּיוֹם מָחָר (māḥār, H4279) — “in the day to-morrow,” i.e. in time to come; Gesenius reads the future generally, Delitzsch the literal next day.
מָחָ֔רmā·ḥār. . .H4279
√ mâchâr — properly, deferred, iAdverb
אִתִּֽי׃’it·tîIf I haveH854
√ ʼêth — properly, nearness (used only as a preposition or an adverb), nearPrepositionfirst person common singular
כֹּ֣לkōlanyH3605
√ kôl — properly, the wholeNounmasculine singular
בָּֽעִזִּ֗יםbā·‘iz·zîmgoatsH5795
√ ʻêz — a she-goat (as strong), but masculine in plural (which also is used elliptically for goat's hair)Preposition-b, ArticleNounfeminine plural
אֲשֶׁר־’ă·šer-thatH834
√ ʼăsher — who, which, what, thatPronounrelative
אֵינֶנּוּ֩’ê·nen·nūare notH369
√ ʼayin — a non-entityAdverbthird person masculine singular
נָקֹ֨דnā·qōḏspeckledH5348
√ nâqôd — spottedAdjectivemasculine singular
וְטָל֜וּאwə·ṭā·lūor spottedH2921
√ ṭâlâʼ — properly, to cover with piecesConjunctive wawVerbQalQalPassParticiplemasculine singular
בַּכְּשָׂבִ֔יםbak·kə·śā·ḇîmor any lambsH3775
√ keseb — a young sheepPreposition-b, ArticleNounmasculine plural
וְחוּם֙wə·ḥūmthat are not dark-coloredH2345
√ chûwm — sunburnt or swarthy (blackish)Conjunctive wawAdjectivemasculine singular
ה֖וּאtheyH1931
√ hûwʼ — he (she or it)Pronounthird person masculine singular
גָּנ֥וּבgā·nūḇwill be considered stolenH1589
√ gânab — to thieve (literally or figuratively)VerbQalQalPassParticiplemasculine singular
גָּנוּב — “stolen”; Jacob invites the verdict of theft on himself, the very charge Laban will later level (31:30, 32).
34

“Agreed,” said Laban. “Let it be as you have said.”

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

hên lū way·yō·mer lā·ḇān yə·hî ḵiḏ·ḇā·re·ḵā

Word by word6 · parsed
הֵ֑ןhênAgreedH2005
√ hên — lo!Interjection
הֵן — “Behold!”; the interjection betrays Laban’s haste to close so favorable a deal.
ל֖וּ. . .H3863
√ lûwʼ — a conditional particlePreposition
לוּ — the optative particle, “would that”; Laban does not merely agree, he wishes it sealed before Jacob can reconsider.
וַיֹּ֥אמֶרway·yō·mersaidH559
√ ʼâmar — to say (used with great latitude)Conjunctive wawVerbQalConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine singular
לָבָ֖ןlā·ḇānLabanH3837
√ Lâbân — Laban, a MesopotamianNounpropermasculine singular
יְהִ֥יyə·hîLet it beH1961
√ hâyâh — to exist, iVerbQalImperfect Jussivethird person masculine singular
יְהִי — jussive “let it be,” echoing the hāyāh that opens (v. 25) and closes (v. 43) the unit.
כִדְבָרֶֽךָ׃ḵiḏ·ḇā·re·ḵāas you have saidH1697
√ dâbâr — a wordPreposition-kNounmasculine singular constructsecond person masculine singular
35

That very day Laban removed all the streaked or spotted male goats and every speckled or spotted female goat—every one that had any white on it—and every dark-colored lamb, and he placed them under the care of his sons.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

ha·hū ’eṯ- bay·yō·wm way·yā·sar hā·‘ă·qud·dîm wə·haṭ·ṭə·lu·’îm hat·tə·yā·šîm wə·’êṯ kāl- han·nə·qud·dō·wṯ wə·haṭ·ṭə·lu·’ōṯ hā·‘iz·zîm kōl ’ă·šer- lā·ḇān bōw wə·ḵāl ḥūm bak·kə·śā·ḇîm way·yit·tên bə·yaḏ- bā·nāw

Word by word22 · parsed
הַה֨וּאha·hūThat veryH1931
√ hûwʼ — he (she or it)ArticlePronounthird person masculine singular
אֶת־’eṯ-H853
√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker
בַּיּוֹם֩bay·yō·wmdayH3117
√ yôwm — a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)Preposition-b, ArticleNounmasculine singular
וַיָּ֣סַרway·yā·sarLaban removedH5493
√ çûwr — to turn off (literal or figurative)Conjunctive wawVerbHifilConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine singular
וַיָּסַר — “he removed”; Laban executes the separation himself, and over-zealously, to leave Jacob a flock of pure color.
הָֽעֲקֻדִּ֣יםhā·‘ă·qud·dîmall the streakedH6124
√ ʻâqôd — striped (with bands)ArticleAdjectivemasculine plural
עֲקֻדִּים — “streaked/banded,” the third pattern-word (cf. v. 39, 40); the Verifier links it to 31:10, 31:12.
וְהַטְּלֻאִ֗יםwə·haṭ·ṭə·lu·’îmor spottedH2921
√ ṭâlâʼ — properly, to cover with piecesConjunctive waw, ArticleVerbQalQalPassParticiplemasculine plural
הַתְּיָשִׁ֜יםhat·tə·yā·šîmmale goatsH8495
√ tayish — a buck or he-goat (as given to butting)ArticleNounmasculine plural
וְאֵ֤תwə·’êṯandH853
√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker
כָּל־kāl-everyH3605
√ kôl — properly, the wholeNounmasculine singular construct
הַנְּקֻדּ֣וֹתhan·nə·qud·dō·wṯspeckledH5348
√ nâqôd — spottedArticleAdjectivefeminine plural
וְהַטְּלֻאֹ֔תwə·haṭ·ṭə·lu·’ōṯor spottedH2921
√ ṭâlâʼ — properly, to cover with piecesConjunctive waw, ArticleVerbQalQalPassParticiplefeminine plural
הָֽעִזִּים֙hā·‘iz·zîmfemale goatH5795
√ ʻêz — a she-goat (as strong), but masculine in plural (which also is used elliptically for goat's hair)ArticleNounfeminine plural
כֹּ֤לkōlevery oneH3605
√ kôl — properly, the wholeNounmasculine singular
אֲשֶׁר־’ă·šer-thatH834
√ ʼăsher — who, which, what, thatPronounrelative
לָבָן֙lā·ḇānhad any whiteH3836
√ lâbân — whiteAdjectivemasculine singular
לָבָן — the adjective “white,” a homograph of the name Laban; the wordplay runs under the whole chapter.
בּ֔וֹbōwon it
Prepositionthird person masculine singular
וְכָל־wə·ḵāland everyH3605
√ kôl — properly, the wholeConjunctive wawNounmasculine singular construct
ח֖וּםḥūmdark-coloredH2345
√ chûwm — sunburnt or swarthy (blackish)Adjectivemasculine singular
בַּכְּשָׂבִ֑יםbak·kə·śā·ḇîmlambH3775
√ keseb — a young sheepPreposition-b, ArticleNounmasculine plural
וַיִּתֵּ֖ןway·yit·tênand he placed themH5414
√ nâthan — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etcConjunctive wawVerbQalConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine singular
בְּיַד־bə·yaḏ-under the careH3027
√ yâd — a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etcPreposition-bNounfeminine singular construct
בְּיַד (yāḏ, H3027) — “into the hand of”; the off-colored stock is put under guard, three days off (v. 36), so none can pass to Jacob.
בָּנָֽיו׃bā·nāwof his sonsH1121
√ bên — a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etcNounmasculine plural constructthird person masculine singular
36

Then he put a three-day journey between himself and Jacob, while Jacob was shepherding the rest of Laban’s flocks.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

way·yā·śem šə·lō·šeṯ yā·mîm de·reḵ bê·nōw ū·ḇên ya·‘ă·qōḇ wə·ya·‘ă·qōḇ rō·‘eh ’eṯ- han·nō·w·ṯā·rōṯ lā·ḇān ṣōn

Word by word13 · parsed
וַיָּ֗שֶׂםway·yā·śemThen he putH7760
√ sûwm — to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)Conjunctive wawVerbQalConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine singular
שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁתšə·lō·šeṯa three-dayH7969
√ shâlôwsh — threeNumbermasculine singular construct
שְׁלֹשֶׁת (šālôš, H7969) — “three”; the buffer Laban interposes to foreclose any contact between the flocks.
יָמִ֔יםyā·mîm. . .H3117
√ yôwm — a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)Nounmasculine plural
דֶּ֚רֶךְde·reḵjourneyH1870
√ derek — a road (as trodden)Nouncommon singular construct
בֵּינ֖וֹbê·nōwbetween himselfH996
√ bêyn — between (repeated before each noun, often with other particles)Prepositionthird person masculine singular
וּבֵ֣יןū·ḇên. . .H996
√ bêyn — between (repeated before each noun, often with other particles)Conjunctive wawPreposition
יַעֲקֹ֑בya·‘ă·qōḇand JacobH3290
√ Yaʻăqôb — Jaakob, the Israelitish patriarchNounpropermasculine singular
וְיַעֲקֹ֗בwə·ya·‘ă·qōḇwhile JacobH3290
√ Yaʻăqôb — Jaakob, the Israelitish patriarchConjunctive wawNounpropermasculine singular
רֹעֶ֛הrō·‘ehwas shepherdingH7462
√ râʻâh — to tend a flockVerbQalParticiplemasculine singular
רֹעֶה — the shepherd-participle; Jacob’s faithful, ongoing care even of the stripped-down flock.
אֶת־’eṯ-H853
√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker
הַנּוֹתָרֹֽת׃han·nō·w·ṯā·rōṯthe restH3498
√ yâthar — to jut over or exceedArticleVerbNifalParticiplefeminine plural
הַנּוֹתָרֹת — “the remaining ones”; the residue Jacob must somehow turn into a living.
לָבָ֖ןlā·ḇānof Laban’sH3837
√ Lâbân — Laban, a MesopotamianNounpropermasculine singular
צֹ֥אןṣōnflocksH6629
√ tsôʼn — a collective name for a flock (of sheep or goats)Nouncommon singular construct
37

Jacob, however, took fresh branches of poplar, almond, and plane trees, and peeled the bark, exposing the white inner wood of the branches.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

ya·‘ă·qōḇ way·yiq·qaḥ- lōw laḥ maq·qal liḇ·neh wə·lūz wə·ʿɛr·mōn way·p̄aṣ·ṣêl bā·hên maḥ·śōp̄ hal·lā·ḇān ’ă·šer lə·ḇā·nō·wṯ pə·ṣā·lō·wṯ ‘al- ham·maq·lō·wṯ

Word by word17 · parsed
יַעֲקֹ֗בya·‘ă·qōḇJacob, howeverH3290
√ Yaʻăqôb — Jaakob, the Israelitish patriarchNounpropermasculine singular
וַיִּֽקַּֽח־way·yiq·qaḥ-tookH3947
√ lâqach — to take (in the widest variety of applications)Conjunctive wawVerbQalConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine singular
ל֣וֹlōw. . .
Prepositionthird person masculine singular
לַ֖חlaḥfreshH3892
√ lach — fresh, iAdjectivemasculine singular
לַח (laḥ, H3892) — “fresh, green”; living rods, freshly cut, whose sap still runs.
מַקַּ֥לmaq·qalbranchesH4731
√ maqqêl — a shoot, iNounmasculine singular construct
לִבְנֶ֛הliḇ·nehof poplarH3839
√ libneh — some sort of whitish tree, perhaps the storaxNounmasculine singular
לִבְנֶה — the “white” tree (storax/poplar), rare (2 verses); its very name advances the white/Laban pun.
וְל֣וּזwə·lūzalmondH3869
√ lûwz — some kind of nuttree, perhaps the almondConjunctive wawNounmasculine singular
וְעֶרְמ֑וֹןwə·ʿɛr·mōnand plane treesH6196
√ ʻarmôwn — the plane tree (from its smooth and shed bark)Conjunctive wawNounmasculine singular
עֶרְמוֹן — the plane tree, “the naked one,” which sheds its own bark; rare (2 verses), shared with Ezekiel 31:8.
וַיְפַצֵּ֤לway·p̄aṣ·ṣêland peeledH6478
√ pâtsal — to peelConjunctive wawVerbPielConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine singular
וַיְפַצֵּל — “he peeled”; with its cognate noun it yields “peeled peelings,” the artifice named twice over.
בָּהֵן֙bā·hên[the bark]
Prepositionthird person feminine plural
מַחְשֹׂף֙maḥ·śōp̄exposingH4286
√ machsôph — a peelingNounmasculine singular construct
הַלָּבָ֔ןhal·lā·ḇān. . .H3836
√ lâbân — whiteArticleAdjectivemasculine singular
הַלָּבָן — “the white,” laid bare on the rods; the inner whiteness exposed is, once more, lāḇān.
אֲשֶׁ֖ר’ă·šerH834
√ ʼăsher — who, which, what, thatPronounrelative
לְבָנ֔וֹתlə·ḇā·nō·wṯthe whiteH3836
√ lâbân — whiteAdjectivefeminine plural
פְּצָל֣וֹתpə·ṣā·lō·wṯinner woodH6479
√ pᵉtsâlâh — a peelingNounfeminine plural
עַל־‘al-ofH5921
√ ʻal — above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsPreposition
הַמַּקְלֽוֹת׃ham·maq·lō·wṯthe branchesH4731
√ maqqêl — a shoot, iArticleNounmasculine plural
38

Then he set the peeled branches in the watering troughs in front of the flocks coming in to drink. So when the flocks were in heat and came to drink,

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

way·yaṣ·ṣêḡ ’eṯ- piṣ·ṣêl ’ă·šer ham·maq·lō·wṯ bā·ro·hā·ṭîm ham·mā·yim ’ă·šer bə·ši·qă·ṯō·wṯ lə·nō·ḵaḥ haṣ·ṣōn tā·ḇō·nā liš·tō·wṯ haṣ·ṣōn way·yê·ḥam·nāh bə·ḇō·’ān liš·tō·wṯ

Word by word17 · parsed
וַיַּצֵּ֗גway·yaṣ·ṣêḡThen he setH3322
√ yâtsag — to place permanentlyConjunctive wawVerbHifilConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine singular
אֶת־’eṯ-H853
√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker
פִּצֵּ֔לpiṣ·ṣêlthe peeledH6478
√ pâtsal — to peelVerbPielPerfectthird person masculine singular
אֲשֶׁ֣ר’ă·šerH834
√ ʼăsher — who, which, what, thatPronounrelative
הַמַּקְלוֹת֙ham·maq·lō·wṯbranchesH4731
√ maqqêl — a shoot, iArticleNounmasculine plural
בָּרֳהָטִ֖יםbā·ro·hā·ṭîmH7298
√ rahaṭ — a channel or watering-boxPreposition-bNounmasculine plural
רְהָטִים — “channels/runnels” (4 verses); the same word renders flowing hair in Song 7:5 — the Verifier’s rare-lexeme tie.
הַמָּ֑יִםham·mā·yimin the wateringH4325
√ mayim — waterArticleNounmasculine plural
אֲשֶׁר֩’ă·šerH834
√ ʼăsher — who, which, what, thatPronounrelative
בְּשִֽׁקֲת֣וֹתbə·ši·qă·ṯō·wṯtroughsH8268
√ shôqeth — a trough (for watering)Preposition-bNounfeminine plural construct
שִׁקֲתוֹת — “troughs” (only 2 verses); the watering basins shared as realia with Rebekah’s well (Exodus 2:16).
לְנֹ֣כַחlə·nō·ḵaḥin front ofH5227
√ nôkach — properly, the front partPreposition-l
הַצֹּ֤אןhaṣ·ṣōnthe flocksH6629
√ tsôʼn — a collective name for a flock (of sheep or goats)ArticleNouncommon singular
תָּבֹ֨אןָtā·ḇō·nācoming inH935
√ bôwʼ — to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)VerbQalImperfectthird person feminine plural
לִשְׁתּוֹת֙liš·tō·wṯto drinkH8354
√ shâthâh — to imbibe (literally or figuratively)Preposition-lVerbQalInfinitive construct
הַצֹּ֔אןhaṣ·ṣōnSo when the flocksH6629
√ tsôʼn — a collective name for a flock (of sheep or goats)ArticleNouncommon singular
וַיֵּחַ֖מְנָהway·yê·ḥam·nāhwere in heatH3179
√ yâcham — probably to be hotConjunctive wawVerbQalConsecutive imperfectthird person feminine plural
וַיֵּחַמְנָה — “were in heat”; the breeding-verb (5 verses) on which the whole stratagem turns, repeated in vv. 39, 41.
בְּבֹאָ֥ןbə·ḇō·’ānand cameH935
√ bôwʼ — to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)Preposition-bVerbQalInfinitive constructthird person feminine plural
לִשְׁתּֽוֹת׃liš·tō·wṯto drinkH8354
√ shâthâh — to imbibe (literally or figuratively)Preposition-lVerbQalInfinitive construct
39

they mated in front of the branches. And they bore young that were streaked or speckled or spotted.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

haṣ·ṣōn way·ye·ḥĕ·mū ’el- ham·maq·lō·wṯ wat·tê·laḏ·nā haṣ·ṣōn ‘ă·qud·dîm nə·qud·dîm ū·ṭə·lu·’îm

Word by word9 · parsed
הַצֹּ֖אןhaṣ·ṣōntheyH6629
√ tsôʼn — a collective name for a flock (of sheep or goats)ArticleNouncommon singular
וַיֶּחֱמ֥וּway·ye·ḥĕ·mūmatedH3179
√ yâcham — probably to be hotConjunctive wawVerbQalConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine plural
וַיֶּחֱמוּ — “they were in heat”; the breeding-verb again (5 verses), now coupled with the rods in view.
אֶל־’el-in front ofH413
√ ʼêl — near, with or amongPreposition
הַמַּקְל֑וֹתham·maq·lō·wṯthe branchesH4731
√ maqqêl — a shoot, iArticleNounmasculine plural
וַתֵּלַ֣דְןָwat·tê·laḏ·nāAnd they boreH3205
√ yâlad — to bear youngConjunctive wawVerbQalConsecutive imperfectthird person feminine plural
וַתֵּלַדְןָ — “and they bore,” the same yālad as Rachel bearing Joseph in v. 25; the unit’s opening verb returns at its turning point.
הַצֹּ֔אןhaṣ·ṣōnyoung [that were]H6629
√ tsôʼn — a collective name for a flock (of sheep or goats)ArticleNouncommon singular
עֲקֻדִּ֥ים‘ă·qud·dîmstreakedH6124
√ ʻâqôd — striped (with bands)Adjectivemasculine plural
עֲקֻדִּים — “streaked,” first of the triad of off-colors that now appear despite Laban’s precautions.
נְקֻדִּ֖יםnə·qud·dîmor speckledH5348
√ nâqôd — spottedAdjectivemasculine plural
וּטְלֻאִֽים׃ū·ṭə·lu·’îmor spottedH2921
√ ṭâlâʼ — properly, to cover with piecesConjunctive wawVerbQalQalPassParticiplemasculine plural
40

Jacob set apart the young, but made the rest face the streaked dark-colored sheep in Laban’s flocks. Then he set his own stock apart and did not put them with Laban’s animals.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

ya·‘ă·qōḇ hip̄·rîḏ wə·hak·kə·śā·ḇîm way·yit·tên haṣ·ṣōn pə·nê ’el- ‘ā·qōḏ wə·ḵāl ḥūm lā·ḇān bə·ṣōn way·yā·šeṯ- lōw ‘ă·ḏā·rîm lə·ḇad·dōw wə·lō šā·ṯām ‘al- lā·ḇān ṣōn

Word by word21 · parsed
יַעֲקֹב֒ya·‘ă·qōḇJacobH3290
√ Yaʻăqôb — Jaakob, the Israelitish patriarchNounpropermasculine singular
הִפְרִ֣ידhip̄·rîḏset apartH6504
√ pârad — to break through, iVerbHifilPerfectthird person masculine singular
הִפְרִיד — “he set apart”; Jacob’s separating answers Laban’s (v. 35), and the property begins to divide.
וְהַכְּשָׂבִים֮wə·hak·kə·śā·ḇîmthe youngH3775
√ keseb — a young sheepConjunctive waw, ArticleNounmasculine plural
וַ֠יִּתֵּןway·yit·tênbut madeH5414
√ nâthan — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etcConjunctive wawVerbQalConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine singular
הַצֹּ֧אןhaṣ·ṣōnthe [rest]H6629
√ tsôʼn — a collective name for a flock (of sheep or goats)ArticleNouncommon singular
פְּנֵ֨יpə·nêfaceH6440
√ pânîym — the face (as the part that turns)Nouncommon plural construct
פְּנֵי — “faces”; the ewes are turned to face the colored animals, a second, rod-free device.
אֶל־’el-. . .H413
√ ʼêl — near, with or amongPreposition
עָקֹ֛ד‘ā·qōḏthe streakedH6124
√ ʻâqôd — striped (with bands)Adjectivemasculine singular
וְכָל־wə·ḵālvvvH3605
√ kôl — properly, the wholeConjunctive wawNounmasculine singular construct
ח֖וּםḥūmdark-coloredH2345
√ chûwm — sunburnt or swarthy (blackish)Adjectivemasculine singular
לָבָ֑ןlā·ḇānsheep in Laban’sH3837
√ Lâbân — Laban, a MesopotamianNounpropermasculine singular
בְּצֹ֣אןbə·ṣōnflocksH6629
√ tsôʼn — a collective name for a flock (of sheep or goats)Preposition-bNouncommon singular construct
וַיָּֽשֶׁת־way·yā·šeṯ-Then he setH7896
√ shîyth — to place (in a very wide application)Conjunctive wawVerbQalConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine singular
ל֤וֹlōwhis own
Prepositionthird person masculine singular
עֲדָרִים֙‘ă·ḏā·rîmstockH5739
√ ʻêder — an arrangement, iNounmasculine plural
עֲדָרִים — “droves”; for the first time Jacob has flocks of his own to name.
לְבַדּ֔וֹlə·ḇad·dōwapartH905
√ bad — properly, separationPreposition-lNounmasculine singular constructthird person masculine singular
לְבַדּוֹ — “by himself, alone”; the careful segregation that will let Jacob walk away cleanly in ch. 31.
וְלֹ֥אwə·lōand did notH3808
√ lôʼ — not (the simple or absConjunctive wawAdverbNegative particle
שָׁתָ֖םšā·ṯāmput themH7896
√ shîyth — to place (in a very wide application)VerbQalPerfectthird person masculine singularthird person masculine plural
עַל־‘al-withH5921
√ ʻal — above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsPreposition
לָבָֽן׃lā·ḇānLaban’sH3837
√ Lâbân — Laban, a MesopotamianNounpropermasculine singular
צֹ֥אןṣōnanimalsH6629
√ tsôʼn — a collective name for a flock (of sheep or goats)Nouncommon singular construct
41

Whenever the stronger females of the flock were in heat, Jacob would place the branches in the troughs, in full view of the animals, so that they would breed in front of the branches.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

wə·hā·yāh bə·ḵāl ham·quš·šā·rō·wṯ haṣ·ṣōn ya·ḥêm ya·‘ă·qōḇ ’eṯ- wə·śām ham·maq·lō·wṯ bā·ro·hā·ṭîm lə·‘ê·nê haṣ·ṣōn lə·yaḥ·mên·nāh bam·maq·lō·wṯ

Word by word14 · parsed
וְהָיָ֗הwə·hā·yāhH1961
√ hâyâh — to exist, iConjunctive wawVerbQalConjunctive perfectthird person masculine singular
בְּכָל־bə·ḵālWheneverH3605
√ kôl — properly, the wholePreposition-bNounmasculine singular construct
הַמְקֻשָּׁרוֹת֒ham·quš·šā·rō·wṯthe stronger femalesH7194
√ qâshar — to tie, physically (gird, confine, compact) or mentally (in love, league)ArticleVerbPualParticiplefeminine plural
הַמְקֻשָּׁרוֹת — “the bound/strong ones”; a technical breeder’s term, paired with ‘ăṭup̄îm (“covered/feeble”) in v. 42.
הַצֹּ֣אןhaṣ·ṣōnof the flockH6629
√ tsôʼn — a collective name for a flock (of sheep or goats)ArticleNouncommon singular
יַחֵם֮ya·ḥêmwere in heatH3179
√ yâcham — probably to be hotVerbPielInfinitive construct
יַעֲקֹ֧בya·‘ă·qōḇJacobH3290
√ Yaʻăqôb — Jaakob, the Israelitish patriarchNounpropermasculine singular
אֶת־’eṯ-H853
√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker
וְשָׂ֨םwə·śāmwould placeH7760
√ sûwm — to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)Conjunctive wawVerbQalConjunctive perfectthird person masculine singular
הַמַּקְל֛וֹתham·maq·lō·wṯthe branchesH4731
√ maqqêl — a shoot, iArticleNounmasculine plural
בָּרֳהָטִ֑יםbā·ro·hā·ṭîmin the troughsH7298
√ rahaṭ — a channel or watering-boxPreposition-bNounmasculine plural
לְעֵינֵ֥יlə·‘ê·nêin full viewH5869
√ ʻayin — an eye (literally or figuratively)Preposition-lNouncdc
לְעֵינֵי — “before the eyes of”; the device operates on sight, the recurring channel of influence.
הַצֹּ֖אןhaṣ·ṣōnof the animalsH6629
√ tsôʼn — a collective name for a flock (of sheep or goats)ArticleNouncommon singular
לְיַחְמֵ֖נָּהlə·yaḥ·mên·nāhso that they would breedH3179
√ yâcham — probably to be hotPreposition-lVerbPielInfinitive constructthird person feminine singular
לְיַחְמֵנָּה — “to conceive”; the third occurrence of yāḥam, now causative — Jacob actively timing the breeding.
בַּמַּקְלֽוֹת׃bam·maq·lō·wṯin front of the branchesH4731
√ maqqêl — a shoot, iPreposition-b, ArticleNounmasculine plural
42

But if the animals were weak, he did not set out the branches. So the weaker animals went to Laban and the stronger ones to Jacob.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

haṣ·ṣōn ū·ḇə·ha·‘ă·ṭîp̄ lō yā·śîm hā·‘ă·ṭu·p̄îm wə·hā·yāh lə·lā·ḇān wə·haq·qə·šu·rîm lə·ya·‘ă·qōḇ

Word by word9 · parsed
הַצֹּ֖אןhaṣ·ṣōnBut if the animalsH6629
√ tsôʼn — a collective name for a flock (of sheep or goats)ArticleNouncommon singular
וּבְהַעֲטִ֥יףū·ḇə·ha·‘ă·ṭîp̄were weakH5848
√ ʻâṭaph — to shroud, iConjunctive waw, Preposition-bVerbHifilInfinitive construct
וּבְהַעֲטִיף — “in the covering/weakening”; read by most of the autumn breeding-season that yields feebler young.
לֹ֣אhe did notH3808
√ lôʼ — not (the simple or absAdverbNegative particle
יָשִׂ֑יםyā·śîmset out the branchesH7760
√ sûwm — to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)VerbQalImperfectthird person masculine singular
הָעֲטֻפִים֙hā·‘ă·ṭu·p̄îmSo the weaker animalsH5848
√ ʻâṭaph — to shroud, iArticleNounmasculine plural
הָעֲטֻפִים — “the feeble ones,” the counterpart to the “bound/strong” (qāšar); the contrast the versions found so hard to render.
וְהָיָ֤הwə·hā·yāhwent toH1961
√ hâyâh — to exist, iConjunctive wawVerbQalConjunctive perfectthird person masculine singular
לְלָבָ֔ןlə·lā·ḇānLabanH3837
√ Lâbân — Laban, a MesopotamianPreposition-lNounpropermasculine singular
וְהַקְּשֻׁרִ֖יםwə·haq·qə·šu·rîmand the stronger onesH7194
√ qâshar — to tie, physically (gird, confine, compact) or mentally (in love, league)Conjunctive waw, ArticleVerbQalQalPassParticiplemasculine plural
וְהַקְּשֻׁרִים — “the strong ones,” from the same qāšar as v. 41; the vigorous stock falls to Jacob.
לְיַעֲקֹֽב׃lə·ya·‘ă·qōḇto JacobH3290
√ Yaʻăqôb — Jaakob, the Israelitish patriarchPreposition-lNounpropermasculine singular
43

Thus Jacob became exceedingly prosperous. He owned large flocks, maidservants and menservants, and camels and donkeys.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

hā·’îš mə·’ōḏ mə·’ōḏ way·yip̄·rōṣ way·hî- lōw rab·bō·wṯ ṣōn ū·šə·p̄ā·ḥō·wṯ wa·‘ă·ḇā·ḏîm ū·ḡə·mal·lîm wa·ḥă·mō·rîm

Word by word12 · parsed
הָאִ֖ישׁhā·’îšThus [Jacob]H376
√ ʼîysh — a man as an individual or a male personArticleNounmasculine singular
הָאִישׁ (hā·’îš, H376) — “the man”; the narrator’s flat, distancing term — not “Jacob,” simply “the man” — as Keil notes, declining to bless or blame.
מְאֹ֣דmə·’ōḏbecameH3966
√ mᵉʼôd — properly, vehemence, iAdverb
מְאֹ֑דmə·’ōḏexceedinglyH3966
√ mᵉʼôd — properly, vehemence, iAdverb
וַיִּפְרֹ֥ץway·yip̄·rōṣprosperousH6555
√ pârats — to break out (in many applications, direct and indirect, literal and figurative)Conjunctive wawVerbQalConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine singular
וַיִּפְרֹץ — “broke forth”; the Bethel promise-verb (28:14) and the v. 30 echo, now fulfilled on Jacob — the Verifier’s structural tie via pāraṣ.
וַֽיְהִי־way·hî-He ownedH1961
√ hâyâh — to exist, iConjunctive wawVerbQalConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine singular
וַיְהִי־לוֹ — “he came to have”; the becoming-verb that frames the unit, closing what v. 25 opened.
לוֹ֙lōw
Prepositionthird person masculine singular
רַבּ֔וֹתrab·bō·wṯlargeH7227
√ rab — abundant (in quantity, size, age, number, rank, quality)Adjectivefeminine plural
צֹ֣אןṣōnflocksH6629
√ tsôʼn — a collective name for a flock (of sheep or goats)Nouncommon singular
וּשְׁפָחוֹת֙ū·šə·p̄ā·ḥō·wṯmaidservantsH8198
√ shiphchâh — a female slave (as a member of the household)Conjunctive wawNounfeminine plural
וַעֲבָדִ֔יםwa·‘ă·ḇā·ḏîmand menservantsH5650
√ ʻebed — a servantConjunctive wawNounmasculine plural
וּגְמַלִּ֖יםū·ḡə·mal·lîmand camelsH1581
√ gâmâl — a camelConjunctive wawNounmasculine plural
גְמַלִּים (gᵉmallîm, H1581) — “camels”; Ellicott reads these as trade-capital, “especially valuable for purposes of commerce,” the shared realia with Rebekah’s caravan (24:20).
וַחֲמֹרִֽים׃wa·ḥă·mō·rîmand donkeysH2543
√ chămôwr — a male ass (from its dun red)Conjunctive wawNounmasculine plural

The verse-by-verse work is done. What follows gathers the whole unit. All three layers below are machine-generated (⚙). Weigh them; they have no authority.

Grand Commentary — the unit, read whole

synthesis · verify

AI synthesis — woven from the public-domain voices above and the original text; generated and fallible.

i. “Send me away” — the held man asks for release — 25–26

The unit opens on the verb of becoming — way·hî, “and it came to pass” — the same root that will close it in v. 43. The trigger is a birth: “when Rachel had borne Joseph.” Barnes dates it exactly: the request “took place at the earliest in the fifteenth year of his sojourn with Laban.” Jacob’s first recorded words in twenty years are a plea for freedom — šal·lᵉḥênî, “release me” — and a fourfold drumbeat on the root ‘ābad, “serve” (the same root that names a slave): “for whom I have served thee… thou knowest my service which I have served thee.” His claim on his own wives presumes the patriarchal law Cambridge states plainly: “Laban as the head of the family possessed control over his married daughters and their children, who were included in Jacob’s wages.” And his whole resolve, JFB observes, rests on nothing visible: “the faith of Jacob was remarkable, for as yet he had nothing to rely on but the promise of God (compare Ge 28:15).”

ii. Laban’s broken sentence and the verb of augury — 27–28

Laban answers, and his answer never finishes. “If I have found favour in thine eyes” — and then nothing; Keil & Delitzsch name the device exactly: the words “contain an aposiopesis, sc., then remain.” BSB’s “please stay” fills a silence the wily man left open. His ground for keeping Jacob is the unit’s most uncomfortable word: niḥaštî, which Ellicott traces to a verb meaning “to speak between the teeth; to mutter magical formulœ,” and the Pulpit Commentary “from nāḥaš, to hiss as a serpent, hence to augur.” A man who names Yahweh in one breath divines by serpent-hiss in the next — and Gill, weighing whether the teraphim were involved, recoils: “it is not credible that the devil should give so famous a testimony to Laban of Jehovah and Jacob.” Yet the substance of Laban’s confession is true: the covenant bārak has overflowed onto him through Jacob, which JFB turns to doctrine — “good men are blessings to the places where they reside.” When Laban finally reaches the point, “specify (nāqᵉḇāh, ‘bore through, declare accurately’) thy wages,” it is the serial contract-breaker who insists, ironically, on exactness.

iii. “When shall I provide for my own house?” — 29–31

Jacob presses the equity of his case with the same emphatic “thou knowest.” His summary is built on a violent verb the BSB tames: Laban’s herds have pāraṣ, “broken forth, spread itself abroad with irresistible might” (Ellicott) — the Bethel promise-word (28:14, so Cambridge), here said of the master, soon of the servant. The blessing has followed “at my foot,” the idiom Gill unpacks by proverb: “such an one has a good foot… wherever he comes a blessing or success goes with him.” Then the lawful claim: “when shall I provide for mine own house?” — which Geneva grounds in created order: “The order of nature requires that every one provide for his own family.” And Jacob refuses Laban’s coin entirely — “thou shalt not give me anything” — because, as the Pulpit Commentary reads it, he “chose rather to trust God than Laban for recompense.” His counter-offer comes in three staccato cohortatives that Gill savors: “there is an elegance in the original; ‘I will return, I will feed, I will keep thy flock.’”

iv. The wage of the off-colored — a self-auditing contract — 32–34

Jacob’s terms turn on the rarity of color. In the East, Cambridge notes, “the sheep in Syria are nearly always white, and the goats black”; the speckled (nāqōḏ) and spotted (ṭālû’) are the exceptions, and those exceptions Jacob claims. Ellicott distinguishes the terms — “by ‘speckled’… small spots… by ‘spotted’… large patches.” Keil settles a grammatical crux that decides who does the sorting: hāsēr “cannot be imperative… but must be infinitive: ‘I will go through the whole flock to-day to remove…’” — Jacob himself, in the open. The motive Benson reads as integrity: “Jacob desired to make a clear bargain, about which they might have no disputes.” For the genius of the deal is its built-in audit: “my righteousness (ṣᵉdāqāh) shall answer for me” — “my uprightness, honesty, and straightness of dealing,” says Cambridge — so that, as Poole puts it, “I have no cattle but of that colour which is by agreement appropriated to me”; any plain beast in Jacob’s fold is, by his own word, gānûḇ, “stolen.” Laban grabs it: “Behold! would it might be according to thy word” — because, Benson says, he reckoned “he should have Jacob’s service for nothing, or next to nothing.” Poole frames the two men in one line that governs the rest: “Laban trusted to the course of nature… and Jacob relied upon the providence of an Almighty God.”

v. Laban over-performs the deal — 35–36

The same day, Laban strips out every off-colored animal — Cambridge: he “determines to make the very best of the new arrangement… Jacob will begin the new term of service with nothing in his favour” — and puts three days’ flock-march between the two herds, which Poole insists is measured “of the journeying or travelling of sheep, not of men.” A pun glints in v. 35: “every one that had white (lāḇān) in it” is removed by the man named White (Lāḇān); the one called White hoards all the white. Whether Reuben’s brothers or Laban’s sons took the segregated flock the voices openly divide — Ellicott argues Jacob’s sons were old enough (“Reuben was twenty-six”), Gill the reverse (“the eldest son, Reuben, not being seven years of age”). Either way Jacob is left, Gill notes, with “none but white sheep,” so that “there was no great likelihood, according to the course of nature, of his having much for his hire.” By nature, Jacob has been cheated before he starts.

vi. The rods, the troughs, and the white that is laid bare — 37–39

Then the strange ritual. Jacob peels white streaks into fresh rods of three trees whose names carry the theme: the first, liḇneh, is the “white” tree (it shares the root of lāḇān), so that, Cambridge says, the trick “turns upon the whiteness of the rods… and this supplies a play upon the name ‘Laban.’” He sets them in the rᵉhāṭîm (“channels”) and šiqᵉṯōṯ (“troughs,” the rare basin-word shared with Rebekah’s well, where Ellicott corrects the modern misreading of “gutters” as “utterly modern”). The flock breeds before the rods and bears the very colors Laban had purged. Was it craft or obedience? The voices split with care. Geneva flatly defends him: “Jacob used no deceit in this for it was God’s commandment.” Benson reads the rods as sacrament rather than mechanism — “a means which God would bless… which Jacob was required to use in testimony of his dependance on God.” And the Pulpit Commentary, declining the folk-biology, lands the verdict: “the multiplication of Parti-colored animals it will be safer to ascribe to Divine blessing than to human craft.” Poole agrees the imagination-lore has “some foundation in nature,” yet “the providence of God was the principal cause of this effect.” Even Gill’s editor, after pages of ancient marvels, concedes: “We know that the result was from God not of Jacob’s schemes.”

vii. Three devices and a divided flock — 40–42

Jacob compounds the method. He separates the lambs and turns the white ewes’ faces toward the streaked and dark — Benson: he “employs his own natural sagacity, and turns the faces of Laban’s flocks toward the ring-streaked” — a “second device,” Cambridge says, in “a very obscure sentence in the original.” Then a third (Cambridge): at breeding-time he sets the rods only before “the bound ones” (hamᵉquššārôṯ), the strong, whose vigor Ellicott shows is literally pictured — the words for strong and feeble are “literally bound and covered… technical terms.” Keil renders the pair through the seasons: not “in the weakening of the sheep,” but at the copulation of “the bound ones, i.e., firm and compact.” The arithmetic of the contract inverts: “so the feebler were Laban’s, and the stronger Jacob’s” — and, Gill adds, “not only his flocks became more numerous than Laban’s, but were a better quality.”

viii. The man who broke forth — 43

The unit closes where it began, on the verb of becoming: way·hî-lōw, “there came to be to him.” The man who asked only to be “sent away” with his wives now has flocks, servants, camels, donkeys. The doubled mᵉ’ōḏ mᵉ’ōḏ (“exceedingly, exceedingly”) and the return of pāraṣ — “broke forth, as in Genesis 30:30” (Ellicott) — declare the Bethel blessing fulfilled on the exile. But the narrator is careful, and so are the best readers. Keil hears the silence: the historian records the wealth “without expressing approbation of Jacob’s conduct, or describing his increasing wealth as a blessing from God. The verdict is contained in what follows.” Benson supplies what Jacob himself will say in the next chapter: he “attributes all the increase of the flock to the blessing of God, and not to his own care.” The chapter even reaches Shakespeare: Cambridge quotes Shylock retelling this very scene — “mark what Jacob did.”

Read under Sola Scriptura — this tool’s own fallible reading (⚙)

Read under the rule that Scripture interprets Scripture, this passage holds two truths in a tension it refuses to release. The blessing is sovereign and prior; the means are human and ambiguous. Three times the text and the voices insist the increase was God’s doing, not the rods’ — Poole (“the providence of God was the principal cause”), the Pulpit Commentary (“safer to ascribe to Divine blessing than to human craft”), even Gill’s editor (“the result was from God not of Jacob’s schemes”). The promise of Bethel, “thou shalt break forth” (pāraṣ, 28:14), is the same word that bursts over Jacob in v. 43; the engine of the chapter is grace, not genetics. Yet the narrator withholds applause. Keil’s observation is the hinge: the wealth is reported “without expressing approbation of Jacob’s conduct.” Genesis does not crown the trickster; it simply lets the next chapter render the verdict, where God claims the credit (“God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me,” 31:9) and Jacob still must flee. The honest reading neither whitewashes Jacob’s craft into pure piety (against the over-eager Geneva) nor reduces the marvel to folk-biology. The deepest note is providential reversal. The man named White (Lāḇān) strips away every scrap of white to leave Jacob nothing, and God turns whiteness itself — peeled into rods of the “white tree” (liḇneh) — into the instrument of Jacob’s wealth. The exploiter is repaid in his own currency. As Matthew Henry puts it, “The Lord will one way or another plead the cause of the oppressed, and honour those who simply trust his providence.” Esau’s brother, who once seized a blessing by fraud, is now blessed in spite of his cleverness, not because of it — a distinction the text guards and we should too. (This reading is offered as fallible synthesis, to be weighed against the Word, not above it.)

The man named White stripped away every scrap of white to leave Jacob nothing — and God made whiteness itself the instrument of Jacob’s wealth.

Canonical Threads — out to the whole of Scripture

cross-refs · verify

AI-generated connections. Each carries a verification badge with a recorded basis; contested links are flagged.

The speckled flock confirmed in Jacob’s dream (30 → 31) verbal / quotation — confirmed

The wage-words of this unit reappear in the next chapter, where Jacob tells his wives that the contract was repeatedly altered and that God overruled it: “If he said, ‘The speckled shall be your wages,’ then all the flocks bore speckled” (31:8), and the angel’s dream showed “the rams… were streaked, speckled, and grizzled” (31:10, 12). The Verifier records the tie on the rare color-word nāqōḏ (“speckled,” H5348, only 7 verses) together with śākār (“wages,” H7939) and tsôʼn (“flock,” H6629). Because nāqōḏ is genuinely rare and the same legal dispute is being narrated, this is a true verbal echo within one continuous story — and ch. 31 supplies the theological verdict ch. 30 withholds: the increase was God’s gift, not the rods’.

Genesis 31:8 · Genesis 31:10 · Genesis 31:12

basis: Verifier-computed shared lexemes for 30:32↔31:8: H5348 nâqôd (in 7 vv), H7939 sâkâr (in 25 vv), H6629 tsôʼn (in 247 vv); and 30:32↔31:10/31:12: H5348 nâqôd + H6629 tsôʼn. The weight rests on the rare nâqôd (only 7 verses) recurring inside one continuous narrative about the same wage-dispute — a verbal echo, not a mere theme.

“Broken forth” — the Bethel blessing fulfilled (28:14 → 30:30, 43) structural / thematic — confirmed

The verb that bursts twice through this unit — Laban’s herds “increased” and “the man broke forth” (pāraṣ, vv. 30, 43) — is the very word of the Bethel promise: “thou shalt break forth (pāraṣ) to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south” (28:14). Cambridge already cross-references it (“Heb. broken forth. See Genesis 28:14”), and Ellicott ties v. 43 back to v. 30. The Verifier confirms the structural link on shared pāraṣ (H6555) and bārak (H1288). No quotation is claimed — these are independent uses of the promise-vocabulary — so the tie is tiered structural/thematic, not verbal: the patriarchal blessing-word coming true on the exile.

Genesis 28:14 · Genesis 30:30 · Genesis 30:43

basis: Verifier-computed shared lexemes H6555 pârats (in 48 vv) and H1288 bârak (in 289 vv) between 30:30 and 28:14; pârats also ties 30:30↔30:43 internally. Both words are common, so no quotation is asserted — tiered structural/thematic: the Bethel promise-verb reused as fulfillment.

The watering-troughs — shared realia from Rebekah’s well structural / thematic — confirmed

Jacob sets his rods in the rᵉhāṭîm (“channels,” H7298) and šiqᵉṯōṯ (“troughs,” H8268) where the flocks drink. The trough-word is exceedingly rare — only two verses — and its companion is the very scene of Genesis 24, where Rebekah “emptied her pitcher into the trough” for Abraham’s servant’s camels (24:20); the “channels” word also runs to the well where Moses watered the flocks (Exodus 2:16). The Verifier records the lexical tie on these rare nouns. Held honestly: the link is one of shared realia — the fixed stone watering-place of the patriarchal world, which Ellicott rightly distinguishes from any modern “gutter” — and the betrothal-by-a-well motif that recurs from Rebekah (Gen 24) to Rachel (Gen 29) to Zipporah (Exod 2). It is no quotation and asserts no literary dependence; the same furniture of well-side life simply recurs, so we tier it structural/thematic rather than verbal and decline to over-read it.

Genesis 24:20 · Exodus 2:16 · Song of Solomon 7:5

basis: Verifier-computed rare shared lexemes: H8268 shôqeth (in only 2 vv) ties 30:38↔24:20; H7298 rahaṭ (in 4 vv) ties 30:38↔Exodus 2:16 and 30:38↔Song 7:5. Downgraded from the Verifier’s mechanical ‘verbal’ label: these are the same common articles of well-side life (troughs/channels) in unrelated scenes, not a quotation or echo — a shared-realia/motif tie. (Song 7:5 uses rahaṭ in the distinct sense of flowing tresses, so its recurrence is purely lexical.)

The rare trees of Jacob’s rods — poplar and plane flagged — verify source

Two of Jacob’s three tree-names occur in only two verses each in the whole Hebrew Bible. The “poplar / storax,” liḇneh (H3839), recurs only at Hosea 4:13, where faithless Israel sacrifices “upon the hills… under oaks and poplars”; the “plane tree,” ‘armôn (H6196), only at Ezekiel 31:8, where even Eden’s cedars could not rival the doomed world-tree and “the plane trees were not like its boughs.” Ellicott notes both cross-references in place (“The word occurs elsewhere only in Hosea 4:13”). Held honestly: the connection is botanical-lexical only — the same uncommon flora named in wholly unrelated oracles, with no shared sense or motif. The Verifier’s rarity rule trips the ‘verbal’ flag, but a rare tree appearing in three disconnected texts is lexical coincidence, not a quotation or echo; we flag it for the reader rather than assert any dependence.

Hosea 4:13 · Ezekiel 31:8

basis: Verifier-computed very-rare shared lexemes: H3839 libneh (in only 2 vv) ties 30:37↔Hosea 4:13; H6196 ʻarmôwn (in only 2 vv) ties 30:37↔Ezekiel 31:8. Flagged (not ‘verbal’): although the lemmas are rare enough to trip the rule, they are common botanical nouns recurring in unrelated contexts (idolatrous worship; Pharaoh as world-tree). This is lexical recurrence of rare flora, not a verbal echo — do not assert dependence.

“Spotted” (ṭālû’) — one rare word, divergent senses flagged — verify source

The “spotted/patched” word ṭālû’ (H2921, “to cover with pieces”) is rare (6 verses) and dominates this unit (vv. 32, 33, 35, 39). The Verifier flags two other homes: Ezekiel 16:16, where Jerusalem made her high places “of divers colours” (the same root), and — striking — Joshua 9:5, the Gibeonites’ “old shoes and clouted (patched) upon their feet.” Held honestly: the shared lexeme is real and rare, but the senses diverge sharply — speckled livestock here, patched sandals there. So while the Verifier’s rarity rule labels it verbal, this is better weighed as lexical coincidence than as an intended echo; we record the basis and decline to over-read it.

Ezekiel 16:16 · Joshua 9:5

basis: Verifier-computed shared rare lexeme H2921 ṭâlâʼ (in 6 vv) ties 30:35↔Ezekiel 16:16 and 30:32↔Joshua 9:5. Flagged because, although the lexeme is rare enough to trip the verbal rule, its sense diverges (spotted animals vs. patched sandals/divers-coloured shrines) — a lexical recurrence, not a verbal echo; do not assert dependence.

“In heat” (yāḥam) and the begetting of the next generation structural / thematic — confirmed

The breeding-verb yāḥam (“to be hot, conceive,” H3179) beats through this unit (vv. 38, 39, 41) and is rare across the canon (5 verses). The Verifier pairs it with Psalm 51:5, “in sin did my mother conceive (yāḥam) me.” The shared word touches conception in both, but the registers are wholly different — animal husbandry here, the doctrine of inherited sin there. The tie is therefore tiered thematic at most: a rare conception-verb, not a deliberate cross-reference; we name the basis and under-claim the connection.

Psalm 51:5

basis: Verifier-computed rare shared lexeme H3179 yâcham (in 5 vv) ties 30:38/39/41↔Psalm 51:5 (also a shared common particle H2005 hên). Tiered thematic, not verbal: a rare conception-verb recurring in unrelated contexts (flock-breeding vs. inherited sin), so no quotation or dependence is claimed.

Christ in the Unittypology · verify

AI-generated reading; weigh it against the text.

Jacob the exile blessed in a far country — the pattern of the Servant who enriches His master’s house widely-held

Jacob enters Laban’s house with nothing and leaves it rich, and the whole household is blessed “for his sake” (30:27, 30) — JFB’s rule that “good men are blessings to the places where they reside.” Scripture develops this pattern toward its fulfillment: Joseph, born at the head of this very unit, will likewise bless Potiphar’s house and all Egypt; and the pattern points to the true Servant in whom “all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (the Bethel promise of 28:14, itself the Abrahamic word of Genesis 12:3, which Paul names “the gospel beforehand,” Galatians 3:8). The faithful exile whose presence enriches an alien house is a shadow of Christ, through whom blessing overflows even to those who, like Laban, do not know Him.

Genesis 30:27 · Genesis 12:3 · Galatians 3:8

The sovereign blessing that prospers the trickster — grace not earned by craft widely-held

Jacob’s wealth is repeatedly assigned by the voices, and by ch. 31, to God’s gift rather than to his rods — “the result was from God not of Jacob’s schemes.” This is the same electing grace Paul anchors precisely in Jacob: “the older shall serve the younger… Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated… that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works” (Romans 9:11–13). The speckled-flock chapter is a working illustration of that doctrine: the blessing breaks forth (pāraṣ, 28:14; 30:43) on a man whose cunning could never have manufactured it. The grace that prospered the supplanter is the grace that, in Christ, justifies the ungodly (Romans 4:5) — never wages, always gift.

Genesis 30:43 · Romans 9:11-13 · Romans 4:5

The white laid bare — the colorless flock made many novel

A figural reading offered as such: the man named White (Lāḇān) strips Jacob to a flock of pure white and removes every mark of distinction, leaving him, by nature, nothing to gain. Yet from that bare, unpromising stock God brings forth a marked multitude. The pattern — the despoiled and empty made fruitful by sovereign blessing alone — anticipates the gospel logic of fruit borne not from the branch’s strength but from the Vine (John 15:5), and of a people, once “not a people,” made many (1 Peter 2:9–10). This is a typological resonance, not a claim the text intends it; it is marked novel and held loosely, to be tested against the Word.

Genesis 30:35 · John 15:5 · 1 Peter 2:9-10

Apparatus & Provenance

The biblical text is the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), public domain (CC0). Hebrew/Greek text, transliteration, morphology and Strong’s are transcribed from the Berean interlinear (CC0) + Strong’s lexicons (PD); the literal renderings, divergence notes, word notes and all synthesis are this tool’s own work (⚙) — fallible; verify them.

Named voices, quoted verbatim from public-domain works:

  • Albert Barnes, Notes on the Bible (1834)
  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges, (1880s)
  • Charles Ellicott, Commentary for English Readers (1878)
  • Geneva Study Bible, Marginal Notes (1599)
  • Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory (1871)
  • John Gill, Exposition of the Entire Bible (1746–63)
  • Joseph Benson, Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1810s)
  • Keil & Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1860s)
  • Matthew Henry, Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706)
  • Matthew Poole, Annotations upon the Holy Bible (1685)
  • The Pulpit Commentary, Spence & Exell, eds. (1880s)

The biblical text is the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), public domain (CC0). The named voices are quoted verbatim from public-domain commentaries on Genesis 30:25–43, attributed in place: Charles Ellicott, Joseph Benson, Matthew Henry, Albert Barnes, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown, Matthew Poole, John Gill, the Geneva Study Bible, the Cambridge Bible, the Pulpit Commentary, and Keil & Delitzsch. Several sources (Matthew Henry’s concise note, Albert Barnes, Keil & Delitzsch, and JFB) comment on the block 30:25–43 as a whole, so the same paragraph recurs in the source set across multiple verses; excerpts here are drawn from whichever verse the comment most directly serves. Matthew Henry’s whole-block note and Barnes’s running paraphrase span the unit and are excerpted at the verses they most illuminate (Henry at 30:25, 30:43, and in the synthesis reading; Barnes at 30:27, 30:30, 30:37, 30:43). Honesty notes specific to this unit: (1) The cross-references on rare lexemes are computed by the Verifier from shared Strong’s numbers, and the Verifier mechanically labels any rare-lexeme tie “verbal / quotation.” We have audited each: only the speckled-wage vocabulary of ch. 31 (nāqōḏ + śākār, recurring in the same sense within one continuous story) is kept as a genuine verbal echo. The watering-troughs tie (24:20; Exod 2:16) we downgraded to structural/thematic — shared realia and the well-betrothal motif, not a quotation; the rare-tree tie (Hosea 4:13; Ezek 31:8) we downgraded to flagged, since a rare plant-name in unrelated oracles is lexical coincidence; and where a rare word recurs in a plainly different sense (Joshua 9:5 “patched” sandals; Song 7:5 “tresses”; Psalm 51:5 human “conceiving”) we likewise flagged or held it thematic — under-claiming by design. (2) The voices openly disagree on two matters left unresolved here: whether the segregated flock was given to Jacob’s sons (Ellicott) or Laban’s (Gill, Keil), and whether Jacob’s rods were sinful craft or commanded obedience (Geneva defends him absolutely; the Pulpit Commentary and Poole credit the result to providence over artifice). (3) Keil’s key point is preserved verbatim: the narrator reports Jacob’s wealth without approving his conduct — “the verdict is contained in what follows” (ch. 31). The ⚙ synthesis layer is fallible and marked; only the BSB text is the Word.

= human, public-domain source, quoted and named. = machine synthesis, to be verified. Flagged cross-references are left visible on purpose — the verifier working in the open. “Search the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” (Acts 17:11)