Genesis 30:41

41 And allwaye in the first buckinge tyme of the shepe Iacob put the staues before the shepe in the gutters yt they myghte conceaue before the staues

Genesis 30:41 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 30:41

And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger cattle did
conceive
Whose limbs were well compact, and were strong and healthy: that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the cattle in the gutters,
that they might conceive among the rods;
and bring forth party coloured ones, and such as were robust and strong like themselves; and this was another device of Jacob's to get the best of the flock. Aben Ezra thinks this refers to the two seasons of the year, when the flocks conceived; the one was in Nisan, in the spring, and such as were brought on that conception were strong, and therefore Jacob chose to lay the rods in the gutters at that time, that he might have the best cattle; and so the Targum of Jonathan calls these here the forward ones, as it does those in ( Genesis 30:42 ) we render feeble, the latter ones; which, according to Aben Ezra, conceived in Tisri or September, and what they brought were weak and feeble. (Based on the laws of genetics, Jacob's breeding of the best of the flock would produce higher quality offspring. Ed.)

Genesis 30:41 In-Context

39 And the shepe coceaued before the staues and brought forth straked spotted and partie.

40 The Iacob parted the labes and turned the faces of the shepe toward spotted thinges and toward all maner of blacke thinges thorow out the flockes of Laba. And he made him flockes of his owne by the selfe which he put not vnto the flockes of Laba.

41 And allwaye in the first buckinge tyme of the shepe Iacob put the staues before the shepe in the gutters yt they myghte conceaue before the staues

42 But in the latter buckynge tyme he put them not there: so the last brode was Labas and the first Iacobs.

43 And the man became excedynge ryche and had many shepe maydeseruauntes menseruauntes camels and asses.