Genesis 30:36

36 Then he put three days' journey between himself and Jacob, and Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks.

Genesis 30:36 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 30:36

And he set three days' journey between himself and Jacob
Not three days' journey for a man, but for cattle; this distance there was between the place where Laban and his sons kept the spotted, speckled, and brown cattle, and that in which Jacob kept the flock only consisting of white sheep; and this was done, that the flocks might not be mixed, and that there might be no opportunity to take any of the spotted ones, and that they might not stray into Jacob's flock; or lest any of his seeing them might bring forth the like, such precaution was used: and Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flock;
those that remained after the spotted, speckled, and brown were taken out; and Jacob having none but white sheep, there was no great likelihood, according to the course of nature, of his having much for his hire; since he was only to have the spotted, speckled, and brown ones that came from them, and generally like begets like; and, according to the Jewish writers ^F16, those that were committed to his care were old and barren, and sick, and infirm, that so he might have no profit from them.

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 Bereshit Rabba, sect. 73. fol. 64. 1. Targum Jon. & Jarchi in loc.

Genesis 30:36 In-Context

34 And Laban said, "Oh, that it were according to your word!"

35 So he removed that day the male goats that were speckled and spotted, all the female goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had some white in it, and all the brown ones among the lambs, and gave them into the hand of his sons.

36 Then he put three days' journey between himself and Jacob, and Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks.

37 Now Jacob took for himself rods of green poplar and of the almond and chestnut trees, peeled white strips in them, and exposed the white which was in the rods.

38 And the rods which he had peeled, he set before the flocks in the gutters, in the watering troughs where the flocks came to drink, so that they should conceive when they came to drink.