Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

What does Genesis Chapter 30 mean?

Genesis 30 is characterized by sibling conflict between Jacob’s wives, the birth of many more children under the blessing of God, and Jacob eventually achieving great wealth after striking an unusual bargain with his father-in-law.

Chapter 29 described the treacherous circumstances of Jacob’s marriage to a pair of sisters: Leah and Rachel. Expecting to marry Rachel after seven years of free labor, Jacob was stunned to find that his father-in-law had switched sisters during the wedding night. The end result of this ploy was Jacob being married to two women, and with another seven years of labor ahead of him. In response to Jacob’s understandable resentment of Leah, God allowed her to conceive sons, while Rachel remained barren.

This chapter begins with a despondent Rachel declaring to Jacob, “Give me children, or I shall die!” Not only is she desperate to become a mother, she envies her sister Leah who has already born four sons to Jacob. Jacob loves Rachel more than Leah, but he rightly corrects her that God alone is the giver of children (Genesis 30:1–2). This will become a theme of the chapter, one explored both in human and animal examples.

In response to her infertility, Rachel follows the unfortunate example of Jacob’s grandmother Sarah (Genesis 16:1–4). She gives her own servant woman to Jacob as a wife. By customs of the time, any children borne to that servant would have been considered those of the wife. Bilhah soon bears Jacob two sons, Rachel’s sons by proxy. Rachel names the boys for her circumstances and feelings at the time they are born (Genesis 30:3–8).

At the same time, Leah has stopped becoming pregnant, perhaps because Rachel’s influence is keeping Jacob from sleeping with her (Genesis 30:15). She now follows Rachel’s example and gives her servant woman to Jacob as a wife. Zilpah, in her turn, gives birth to two sons. These belong to Leah by proxy, and she gives them happy names (Genesis 30:9–13).

None of these births, though, have ended the rivalry between Rachel and Leah. Both know that Rachel remains barren and that Leah remains unloved by Jacob. Their conflict flares to the surface when Leah’s son Reuben brings home some rare mandrake plants he has found. Mandrakes were thought to help with arousal and infertility. When Rachel asks Leah for the plants, likely hoping they will help her to get pregnant, Leah lashes out that Rachel has taken her husband and now wants to take her mandrake plants. Rachel, apparently desperate, offers to give Leah one night sleeping with Jacob in exchange for the plants. Rachel, apparently, held great power over Jacob in the family dynamic (Genesis 30:14–16).

Leah begins to bear children again, having another two boys and a girl, naming them all for God’s provision in her life. Rachel, too, finally bears her first son, Joseph. Her name for him amounts to a prayer for another son to follow (Genesis 30:17–24).

The narrative then shifts to inform us that Jacob’s 14 years of service to Laban in exchange for his two wives has come to an end. He demands that his father-in-law send him away so he can return home to his own people. It’s possible Laban retained some legal right to not release Jacob. In any case, Laban says plainly that he has become wealthy because of the Lord’s blessing on Jacob. He asks Jacob to name new wages to continue to work for him (Genesis 30:25–28).

Jacob’s terms seem unusual. Instead of asking for a flat wage or even a percentage of Laban’s flocks, Jacob asks to keep any newly born goats or lambs that are off-color. Most of the sheep in Laban’s flock are white, and most of the goats are black. A small percentage of the goats are speckled, striped, or spotted, and some sheep are black. After agreeing to Jacob’s deal, Laban immediately removes all of the off-color animals from the flock three-day’s journey away from the main group. It looks like Jacob’s deal will go bust (Genesis 30:29–36).

Instead, the Lord supernaturally blesses Jacob’s unconventional efforts to cause white sheep to produce black lambs and black goats to produce mixed-color offspring. While we aren’t told, yet, Jacob has apparently been informed in another dream that God intended to correct Laban’s cheating of Jacob (Genesis 31:7–12). So, while this chapter only mentions Jacob’s use of striped poles, there is no confusion that God, and not the poles, causes the change in the animals’ color. In addition, Jacob breeds the flock to produce strong, off-color animals for him and weak, solid-colored animals for Laban (Genesis 30:37–42).

Jacob grows enormously wealthy. With the Lord’s blessing, he has overcome Laban’s scheme to keep him poor and dependent on his father-in-law (Genesis 30:43).

Chapter Context
In the previous chapter, Laban tricked Jacob both into marrying Leah along with Rachel and into working for him as a servant for a total of fourteen years. God blessed unloved Leah by allowing her to bear four sons to Jacob. As this chapter opens, Rachel remains barren while Leah and both of their servant women continue to bear sons. Finally God answers Rachel’s prayer, allowing her to bear Joseph. His contract completed, Jacob demands Laban send him away to his own people. Laban refuses, asking Jacob to set new terms for his service. Jacob’s deal, along with the Lord’s blessing and his unusual breeding practices with the flocks, results in Jacob becoming a wealthy man in his own right. This wealth and power will enable him to finally break free and return home.

Verse by Verse

Verse 1. When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I shall die!”

As described in chapter 29, Leah wound up married to Jacob only because of an act of treachery by her father, Laban (Genesis 29:18–30). It’s no surprise, then, that Jacob expressed no love for her, and greatly favored her younger sister, Rachel (Genesis 29:31). In the previous chapter, the Lord noticed that Leah was “hated” and expressed His compassion for her by allowing her to begin bearing children. Four sons followed.

Now Rachel, the wife Jacob truly loves, responds to her sister’s blessing with great envy. She still is not able to bear any children, and she apparently holds Jacob responsible. Of course, since Jacob has been fathering children with Leah, there is presumably nothing he could do differently for Rachel. Dramatically, Rachel demands Jacob give her children or she will die.

Rachel becomes the third wife in three generations unable to have children when they wanted to. Abraham’s wife Sarah famously became pregnant for the first time at age 90 (Genesis 17:17; 21:1–5). Jacob’s own mother Rebekah waited 20 years to become pregnant with her twins (Genesis 25:20–26). Now, another family of God’s people is learning that it is ultimately God, not men, who decides conception and birth.

Context Summary
Genesis 30:1–24 describes the birth of eight more sons to Jacob, as well as one daughter. While Rachel remains barren, her servant woman bears to Jacob two sons. Then Leah’s servant woman does so, as well. Next, Leah herself has three more children. Then, finally, God remembers Rachel. She gives birth to Joseph, giving him a name that is essentially a prayer for another son to follow. As the section ends, Jacob now has 11 sons, at least one daughter, and a plan to return home to his own people.

Verse 2. Jacob ‘s anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?”

Rachel, desperate for children and envious of her fertile sister, has demanded that Jacob give her children. Her statement implies that her barrenness is somehow his fault. This seems absurd, given that Leah has born four sons by Jacob. It also suggests Rachel did not have the same kind of relationship with the Lord that her sister did. Leah’s actions in the prior chapter suggest that she is faithful to God, if somewhat resigned to the fact that Jacob will not love her the way he loves Rachel.

For good reasons, Jacob is angry at Rachel’s implied accusation. He corrects Rachel’s assumption: God is the one who gives children, not husbands. Her complaint is with the Lord.

As did Jacob’s grandmother Sarah (Genesis 16:1–4), Rachel will try to solve the problem her own way. This will start off something of a competition between the sisters, resulting in the births of many more sons to Jacob. Rachel will even name one of the resulting children to reflect her belief that this is a “struggle” between her and Leah (Genesis 30:8).

Verse 3. Then she said, “Here is my servant Bilhah; go in to her, so that she may give birth on my behalf, that even I may have children through her.”

Rachel and Jacob, two spouses famous for their love story (Genesis 29:16–20), are angry with each other. Though Jacob loves Rachel, his intended bride, and “hates” Leah, a woman he was tricked into marrying (Genesis 29:21–27), Jacob and Rachel have not yet conceived any children together. Rachel seems to hold Jacob responsible for her inability to have children. Jacob rejects that idea. His response reflects an understanding that it is ultimately God, not husbands, who gives children. Jacob also has a legitimate point in that his other wife, Leah, has given birth to multiple children.

Rachel is unwilling to wait for God to grant her children. As Abraham’s wife Sarah did (Genesis 16:1–4), Rachel decides to have children by proxy. Using the cultural standard of the time, she will give her servant girl Bilhah to Jacob as a wife. Any children born to Bilhah will become Rachel’s children by adoption. This shift in strategy sparks a virtual competition between Rachel and Leah to out-do the other in producing sons for Jacob (Genesis 30:8).

Verse 4. So she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife, and Jacob went in to her.

Rachel, desperate for children and unable to have any of her own, has given to Jacob her servant girl Bilhah. Any children they have together will belong to Rachel by proxy. Jacob apparently agrees to this plan; we’re told of no objections from him. He takes Bilhah as his wife and begins to have relations with her. This is very similar to how Rachel’s grandmother, Sarah attempted to have a child, through her servant Hagar, after being unable to conceive with Abraham (Genesis 16:1–4).

To modern readers, the circumstances out of which Jacob’s children are born seem far less than ideal. Leah is unloved by her husband (Genesis 29:31. Rachel appears unwilling to trust God and wait on Him (Genesis 30:1–3). Bilhah is, in essence, a slave-wife (Genesis 29:29). In fact, the situation is tragic, and only becomes more dysfunctional over time, as the two sisters engage in a “birth race,” competing to produce more sons. Still, God will keep His promises to Abraham and Jacob through these wives and children. As He does even today, the Lord will accomplish His purposes, even through sinful and conflicted people.

Verse 5. And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son.

Even though Jacob loves his wife Rachel (Genesis 29:16–18), and “hates” his unintended wife Leah, Leah has been able to bear several children (Genesis 29:31–35). Rachel has had no sons or daughters, yet, and absurdly attempts to blame Jacob for this situation (Genesis 30:1), though he reminds her that it is ultimately God, not man, who controls the birth of children. Desperate to “keep up” with her sister, and have a child of her own, Rachel turns to the same plot used by her grandparents, Abraham and Sarah (Genesis 16:1–4). According to customs of the time, children born to a woman’s servant were considered children of the owner.

Rachel’s plan works, at least in the sense that it results in a child. Bilhah does indeed give birth to Jacob’s fifth son. Rachel, though still conflicted, will receive the boy as God’s gift to her. Rather than making things better, this event will help fuel a competition between Rachel and Leah (Genesis 30:8).

Verse 6. Then Rachel said, “God has judged me, and has also heard my voice and given me a son.” Therefore she called his name Dan.

When Jacob’s grandmother Sarah had a child by giving her servant girl as a wife to Abraham (Genesis 16:1–4), she seemed to quickly regret it (Genesis 16:5–6). Rachel, on the other hand, receives the baby born to her servant Bilhah (Genesis 29:29; 30:3) as a gift from God. Indeed, unlike Sarah’s Ishmael, this son, and the others to be born to Jacob by his wives’ servants, will become children of God’s covenant promises to Jacob. In fact, they will become the patriarchs of the twelve tribes of Israel.

Rachel names this boy Dan, related to a Hebrew term diyin, used earlier in the verse when Rachel says God has “vindicated” her. The word is also a play on the Hebrew word for “give.” Rachel has apparently prayed for children, after all, in spite of her angry words to Jacob in Genesis 30:1. She credits the Lord both for vindicating her and for hearing her voice. As her sister Leah has done, Rachel worships God in the naming of her son.

Verse 7. Rachel ‘s servant Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son.

Rachel was angry that her unloved sister, Leah, was able to bear sons for their mutual husband, Jacob, while she was childless (Genesis 29:31). After foolishly blaming Jacob (Genesis 30:1–2), Rachel then turned to a strategy used previously in the same family. According to custom, a woman could “bear” children through a servant, and those children would be considered hers; this is how Abraham and Sarah attempted to shortcut God’s plans many years previous (Genesis 16:1–4). Rachel’s scheme is successful, at least in that it results in a child: Dan (Genesis 30:6), the fifth son of Jacob.

Bilhah is still referred to as Rachel’s servant (Genesis 29:29), implying that Rachel retains possession of and responsibility for Bilhah in spite of her also being one of Jacob’s wives. Bilhah conceives again and gives birth to second son, Jacob’s sixth. This child will be named Naphtali, a reflection of Rachel’s great struggle to obtain children, as well as her sense that there is a competition afoot between the two wives.

Verse 8. Then Rachel said, “With mighty wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister and have prevailed.” So she called his name Naphtali.

Most translations quote Rachel as saying she has used “mighty wrestlings,” with her sister and has prevailed or overcome her. The original language suggests that Rachel views bearing children and keeping Jacob’s favor as a competition with Leah. In her eyes, she is now “winning” this contest, with the addition of this second child by her servant Bilhah (Genesis 30:1–7).

It’s not clear in what sense the addition of a second child would mean that Rachel was overcoming Leah and her four sons with Jacob. Perhaps some specific event had occurred that made it clear Jacob still preferred Rachel over Leah. Or, that since she has now successfully produced two children, while Leah seems to have stopped bearing (Genesis 29:35), she is gaining an advantage.

A few scholars suggest that the language should be read to hear Rachel saying she has been in a “divine” struggle with God, perhaps through prayer for sons. This is not the common view, however, and so most interpretations focus on Rachel’s sense of rivalry with Leah.

In either case, the second of son of Rachel through her servant Bilhah is named Naphtali. The Hebrew name Naphtaliy is very similar to the word for “wrestling, struggling, or fighting,” which is nip’tal’ti, used earlier in this verse to express exactly that idea.

Verse 9. When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, she took her servant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife.

Previously in this passage, Rachel has responded to her older sister’s success in childbearing (Genesis 30:1) by using her servant as a proxy to produce two more sons for Jacob (Genesis 30:3–8). This followed a strategy used by her own grandparents many years before (Genesis 16:1–4). Clearly, according to the language used, Rachel sees the situation as a high-stakes competition for sons and for Jacob’s affection.

Any doubt about whether Leah agreed about the competitive nature of their family is answered here. Prior verses indicated that Leah had stopped bearing children, for then-unstated reasons (Genesis 29:35). Seeing that Rachel has “caught up” somewhat, Leah takes the same approach as Rachel and gives Jacob her servant girl Zilpah (Genesis 29:24) as his fourth wife. Soon Zilpah, and by proxy, Leah, will bear to Jacob his seventh son. Leah, just as much as Rachel, participates in something of a “birth race” which results in explosive growth for the family.

Verse 10. Then Leah ‘s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a son.

Leah was given Zilpah as a wedding present by her father (Genesis 29:24), on the night he treacherously snuck Leah into the marriage bed, rather than Jacob’s intended bride, her younger sister Rachel (Genesis 29:21–26). Unsurprisingly, though Jacob was able to marry Rachel almost immediately afterwards, he has no meaningful love for Leah (Genesis 29:31). Despite that fact, Leah was able to bear sons for Jacob while Rachel remained barren. To resolve this, Rachel used the cultural approach to servants to have children “by proxy,” using her servant Bilhah to birth two sons for Jacob (Genesis 30:1–8).

In the meantime, Leah has stopped bearing children, but she wants to continue to give sons to Jacob (Genesis 29:35). Apparently, Leah agrees with Rachel that this is a competition, and she intends to win. So Leah follows her sister’s example, and gives Jacob her servant girl Zilpah as a wife, planning to claim any babies born to their union as her own. Zilpah eventually has had a son, Jacob’s seventh boy, who will be named Gad, to reflect what Leah sees as good fortune.

Verse 11. And Leah said, “Good fortune has come!” so she called his name Gad.

After bearing four sons for Jacob, Leah stopped getting pregnant (Genesis 29:34-35). This is a problem for Leah, since both she and Rachel see their fertility as part of a competition for Jacob’s affection (Genesis 30:8). Rachel responded to her own personal barrenness by using her servant as a mother-by-proxy. Taking this approach, Rachel—through Bilhah—obtained two sons. Leah, not to be outdone, follow suit. In order to continue having children, she followed her sister’s example and gave her personal maid servant, Zilpah, to her husband as another wife. As was the case with Rachel, Leah would claim any resulting children as her own.

Now Jacob’s seventh son has been born, this time to Zilpah. Previously, Leah had named her sons in recognition of God’s provision or in worship of the Lord. This time, though, she names her son Gad because of the good fortune she has had, and “good luck” or “luck has come” is the literal meaning of this word in Hebrew. According to some scholars, Gad may also have been a form of the name of a god worshiped locally around this time, though this is a minority view. Worship of household gods is still a part of the extended family’s practice at this time (Genesis 31:32).

Verse 12. Leah ‘s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son.

Leah and her younger sister Rachel are both married to the same man: Jacob. Only Rachel was an intended bride, however. After working seven years for the right to marry Rachel, Jacob awoke the morning after his wedding to find that the girls’ father, Laban, had tricked him by switching in Leah (Genesis 29:18–30). Though Jacob was allowed to marry Rachel almost immediately, for another seven years of indebted labor, he understandably never showed love to Leah (Genesis 29:31). Partly in response to this, God allows Leah to bear children for Jacob while Rachel remains barren (Genesis 30:1). Desperate and angry, Rachel produces two sons by using her servant, Bilhah, as a proxy mother (Genesis 30:1–8). Not to be outdone, Leah, who had recently stopped bearing children (Genesis 29:35), uses the same strategy and obtains a child. Leah’s servant girl Zilpah could also be described as one of Jacob’s two slave wives. Any children born by her will legally belong to Leah and Jacob.

Now Zipah bears to Jacob her second boy, his eighth son. This child will be named Asher, to reflect Leah’s happiness.

Verse 13. And Leah said, “Happy am I! For women have called me happy.” So she called his name Asher.

Leah names her sixth son, the second born to her servant woman Zilpah (Genesis 30:9–12). Leah declares herself happy at the birth of this boy. In part, her happiness stems from the fact that other women will recognize that she is happy or blessed. In no small part, this happiness is fueled by a sense of competition. Rachel and Leah are engaged in something of a “birth war,” competing against each other through the bearing of children.

Again, Leah names her son in response to her emotional state at the time and her recognition that God, or perhaps a lesser local god, has provided for her. The name Asher means “blessing” or “happiness,” and could be related to a word that sounds like “God has filled with joy.” However, well known gods of that era also had names similar to Asher. We will learn later that some of the house gods of Rachel’s and Leah’s youth continued to be part of Jacob’s household (Genesis 31:32).

Verse 14. In the days of wheat harvest Reuben went and found mandrakes in the field and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son ‘s mandrakes.”

Reuben is Leah’s firstborn son (Genesis 29:31–32). It’s hard to tell from the chronology how old he is here. Some scholars suggest he may have been less than six years old at this time.

It’s possible that Reuben was helping with the wheat harvest when he found these plants known as mandrakes. This perennial plant is thought to be of the mandragora family, with blue flowers and yellow fruit in season. Mandrakes were also thought, apparently, to be an aphrodisiac and perhaps an aid to infertility in women. It’s possible that mandrakes were quite rare in this region at this time, making Reuben’s discovery quite a find.

This discovery becomes contentious, because sisters Rachel and Leah are engaged in a bitter competition to produce children for their mutual husband, Jacob. Rachel has never herself given birth to children, instead obtaining hers using a cultural law which allowed her to claim the children of her servant, Bilhah (Genesis 30:1–8). Leah, for her part, has stopped conceiving after giving birth to four sons (Genesis 29:31–35). Their interest in these mandrake plants makes perfect sense given their desire to become pregnant, as well as their urge to corner Jacob’s affection.

In any case, when Rachel sees or hears that Reuben has brought mandrake plants to his mother Leah, she asks if she can have some of them. Leah’s reaction won’t be especially polite, but it will reveal just how dysfunctional this family has become.

Verse 15. But she said to her, “Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son ‘s mandrakes also?” Rachel said, “Then he may lie with you tonight in exchange for your son ‘s mandrakes.”

Rachel has requested some of the mandrake plants Leah’s son has found (Genesis 30:14). Mandrake plants, apparently, were thought to have aphrodisiac qualities and to be an aid to infertility. These two infertile sisters were likely interested in the plants for exactly that reason. Leah was able to bear four sons for Jacob, but has now stopped conceiving (Genesis 29:31–35). Rachel has never been able to have a child through her own womb. Both have obtained children through their servants, as part of a competition between these sisters (Genesis 30:1–13). Any item believed to aid in conception would have been precious to both women.

Leah responds to Rachel’s seemingly-polite request with surprising anger, and with great emotion. Even after the years that have passed and the sons Leah has given to Jacob, it’s clear that this conflict is not resolved. Rachel likely still envies her sister for the children she has birthed, and Leah is definitely burdened by the constant awareness that Jacob still loves Rachel and not her (Genesis 29:31).

Her statement that Rachel has “taken away her husband,” in light of what follows, reveals to us that Jacob is likely no longer sleeping with Leah. His desire for Rachel has given her full control over his affection and attention. Leah has been left on her own. It’s not surprising that she’s not inclined to share her mandrakes, especially if she believes they may help Rachel to become pregnant and cement Jacob’s preference for her.

Rachel responds with a revealing offer: Leah can have Jacob for one night. Not only does this show us just how much power Rachel has over Jacob, it also shows us how desperate she is for anything which can help her get pregnant. The offer itself also strongly indicates that Leah’s recent lack of fertility is directly due to Rachel’s influence over Jacob (Genesis 29:35). Leah’s acceptance of this offer, in turn, shows her desperation to become pregnant again, as well as her eagerness to spend more time with Jacob.

Verse 16. When Jacob came from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must come in to me, for I have hired you with my son ‘s mandrakes.” So he lay with her that night.

The motive for this odd arrangement is a “birth race” between these two sisters. Leah has conceived four children of her own (Genesis 29:31–35), plus two more through her servant, Zilpah (Genesis 30:9–13). Rachel, on her part, has been infertile, but has obtained two children through her servant, Bilhah (Genesis 30:1–3). Rachel clearly holds the power in this growing and unusual family, and might very well have convinced Jacob to stop sleeping with Leah (Genesis 29:35; 30:15). Now, in exchange for some of Leah’s mandrake plants, thought to be beneficial to infertile women, Rachel has agreed to allow their mutual husband, Jacob, to spend one night with Leah (Genesis 30:14).

Now Leah claims what she has purchased. She tells Jacob that he belongs to her for the night. She has hired him. He must come with her. We’re not told any details of Jacob’s response, but he does agree to come home with Leah and sleep with her. As he often does, Jacob appears to be a passive bystander in the story of his own life, submitting to the will of the stronger personalities around him.

Still, God uses all the personalities in this complicated and messy family to continue to accomplish His plan for Jacob and for Israel. God’s blessings were not dependent on the apparent worthiness of those to whom He was giving them. He graciously keeps His promises in all circumstances.

Verse 17. And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son.

Rachel and Leah are two sisters engaged in what amounts to a fertility completion with their mutual husband, Jacob, squarely in the middle. Even though Rachel is the more-loved wife (Genesis 29:31), and the only one Jacob really intended to marry (Genesis 29:18–30), she has only been able to obtain two children by using a proxy mother, her servant Bilhah (Genesis 30:1–8). Leah, despite being unloved, has managed to have four children of her own (Genesis 29:31–35), plus two through her servant Zilpah (Genesis 30:9–13).

When one of Leah’s children found mandrakes—thought to enhance fertility—Rachel attempted to acquire some of them. Leah’s anger was only abated when Rachel offered to “let” Jacob sleep with her for a night. Apparently, not only is Rachel greatly in control of Jacob, she is also the reason Leah has stopped bearing children of her own (Genesis 29:35). Leah takes her first opportunity to tell Jacob that he’s been sold, in essence, and is hers for the night (Genesis 30:14–16).

In spite of this strange trade between Rachel and Leah, we’re told in this verse that God listened to Leah. In other words, Leah had been asking God to give her more children with Jacob. Now God has answered her prayer. Despite the efforts of man, Genesis continues to insist that God is ultimately the one who gives children, not husbands or mandrake plants, or—as seen later in this chapter—striped sticks (Genesis 30:37–43).

This fifth natural-born son of Leah will be named Issachar due to the circumstances of his birth. This is Jacob’s ninth son in total.

Verse 18. Leah said, “God has given me my wages because I gave my servant to my husband.” So she called his name Issachar.

Leah and her sister Rachel are engaged in a “birth race,” competing for personal pride and for the affection of their mutual husband, Jacob. Leah initially was able to bear four children of her own (Genesis 29:31–35), before Rachel seems to have jealously convinced Jacob to stop sleeping with her. Rachel, on her part, was unable to have her own children, so she obtained two through her female servant, Bilhah. Leah had seen this and responded in kind, producing two more sons through her servant Zilpah. When Leah’s oldest child found fertility-enhancing mandrakes, Leah sold some of them to Rachel with the understanding that Leah be allowed to sleep with Jacob for a night (Genesis 30:14–17). The result of that sale is another natural son for Leah, her fifth, her seventh combined, and Jacob’s ninth son overall.

Leah names this son based on her understanding that God is repaying her for giving her servant Zilpah to Jacob as a wife. That seems to indicate that Leah saw this sharing of Zilpah with Jacob, even for the sake of having more sons, as a sacrificial act for the better good of Jacob. The name Yissaskar is similar to the word used in this verse for wages, sakar, so the name might also mean “my hire” or “man of hire,” referring to the night with Jacob that Leah bought by giving her mandrake plants to Rachel. Alternatively, the name may mean “may God be gracious.”

Verse 19. And Leah conceived again, and she bore Jacob a sixth son.

Jacob found himself married to two sisters in the span of a week, one of whom—Leah—he had been tricked into taking due to deception by their father (Genesis 29:18–30). Partly due to that fraud, Jacob is said to have hated Leah, while preferring his only intended bride, Rachel. God responded to Leah’s pain by allowing her to bear children while Rachel remained barren (Genesis 29:31–35). This began a fertility competition, where Rachel eventually used her servant girl to give Jacob sons, and Leah followed suit (Genesis 30:1–13). Rachel, who had apparently convinced Jacob to stop having sex with Leah, trades one night of Jacob’s attention for some fertility-enhancing mandrake roots. As a result, Leah conceives her fifth natural son, accordingly named Issachar, a reference to “wages” (Genesis 30:14–18).

Now we learn that Leah has given birth to her sixth naturally-born son. Counting the sons born to her servant Zilpah by Jacob, Leah now claims eight boys as her own. This son is the tenth born to Jacob by three different women. Rachel has yet to give birth to any children of her own.

Verse 20. Then Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good endowment; now my husband will honor me, because I have borne him six sons.” So she called his name Zebulun.

Sisters Leah and Rachel are engaged in a “birth war,” competing for the affections of their mutual husband, Jacob (Genesis 29:18–30). Following her pattern, Leah names her sixth naturally-born son according to her feelings about the circumstances of the moment. Again, she credits God for giving her another son. Specifically, Leah says God has endowed or presented to her a good gift, using the Hebrew word zabad. Leah’s faith in and gratitude to God seems to be a constant in her life.

The other constant in Leah’s life seems to be a deep desire to be loved and valued by her husband Jacob. That desire has often gone unmet, according to the details of this chapter (Genesis 30:15). Now that she has born him a sixth child, with two more through her servant Zilpah, Leah expresses her deep hope that perhaps her husband will at least “honor” or perhaps “live with” her, depending on the translation of the Hebrew word zabal.

She connects these two expressions, gratitude to God for this gift and confidence that her husband will honor her, with the name Zebulun. That name, Zabuwluwn in Hebrew, contains references to both “gift” and “honor.”

Verse 21. Afterward she bore a daughter and called her name Dinah.

Scripture is often short on details, especially when those details are not especially relevant to the point at hand. This even includes genealogies and family trees, where the Bible frequently only mentions key figures. In other words, unless the Bible explicitly says someone did not have other children, it’s possible that there may have been births which went unreported in the text. So far, the Bible has recorded the birth of ten sons of Jacob, and this is the first daughter of whom we’re told. The sons will become patriarchs of the tribes of Israel, making their mention necessary.

A likely reason Dinah is mentioned, even if other daughters were not, is that she will become a key character in the story of Jacob’s family later on (Genesis 34). Though we’re not told why Leah gave her the name, the Hebrew Diynah means “judgment” or “vindication.” Her birth was one more piece of evidence that God had vindicated Leah, in spite of the fact that her own husband seemed to value her so little (Genesis 29:31). This also reflects on the nature of the competition still boiling between Leah and her sister, Rachel, over their mutual husband, Jacob (Genesis 30:8).

Verse 22. Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb.

Rachel has always been deeply loved by Jacob. He was willing to work seven years for the privilege of marrying her, only to be tricked into taking her older sister, Leah, instead. And yet, Jacob’s love for Rachel was enough for him to agree to another seven years of labor for the right to marry her a week later (Genesis 29:18–30). Leah, in part because of this history, has never been shown affection by Jacob (Genesis 29:31). In part due to God’s sympathy for Leah’s pain, and though Rachel seems to have held on to Jacob’s primary affection Rachel has never been able to give Jacob a son. Leah, on the other hand, has given him six sons by birth, two sons through her servant girl Zilpah, and at least one daughter, Dinah.

Now Rachel’s long years of waiting come to an end. A major theme of this chapter is exactly who gives the gift of children: God, and God alone. Personal schemes (Genesis 30:1–3), plants (Genesis 30:14–17), and even striped sticks (Genesis 30:37–43) are irrelevant, since it’s God who holds the real power. Now, God “remembers” Rachel, a phrase which refers to God’s favorable consideration. He opens her womb. The Bible is consistent from start to finish in teaching that God is the creator of life and the giver of children in all cases, but this teaching is a particular focus in the lives of Israel’s early ancestors.

Verse 23. She conceived and bore a son and said, “God has taken away my reproach.”

This chapter opened with Rachel crying out in despair against Jacob, “Give me children, or I shall die!” (Genesis 30:1). This was unfair, first of all, since Jacob had already fathered four children with his other wife, Rachel’s sister Leah (Genesis 29:31–35). Jacob corrected her: God is the one who gives children. But Rachel, just like the culture of her era, would have viewed infertility as something shameful—a barren womb would have made Rachel feel like a lesser woman. This, in no small part, explains her zeal in pursuing a “birth war” against her own sister (Genesis 30:8), resulting in a total of ten sons born to Jacob by this point in history.

The previous verse told us that God “remembered” Rachel. This does not mean, of course, that she had slipped His mind for a few years. It means that He thought of her with favor. He showed her mercy. He responded to her prayers by making her able to become pregnant with Jacob. So, she conceives and has a son, giving credit to God for taking that cultural shame and reproach away. She acknowledges that God is the giver of this good gift.

Verse 24. And she called his name Joseph, saying, “May the Lord add to me another son!”

After years of infertility, and a bitter competition with her own sister, Rachel has finally given birth to a natural son of her own. As a result, Rachel expressed her faith that God had given this son to her as a gift. In doing so, she declared in the previous verse that God had taken away the shame she carried as a childless wife. That culture would have viewed barrenness as a shameful, embarrassing condition. Now Rachel gives her son a name that also serves as a prayer for yet another son. Joseph means, in part, “may God add.” The Hebrew for this name, Yowceph, is related to the word used earlier in the verse for “taking away” her shame, ā’sap, as well as the word used for “giving” of a future son, yacaph.

Favoritism, unfortunately, runs in Jacob’s family. His mother and father were very clear about which child they each preferred (Genesis 25:28). Rebekah’s preference for Jacob inspired her to help Jacob cheat his brother, Esau, out of a blessing from their father, Isaac (Genesis 27:5–10). Since he never wanted to marry her in the first place, Jacob demonstrates a clear “hatred” for his first wife Leah, in comparison to her sister and his adored second wife, Rachel (Genesis 29:18–30). Rather than learning a lesson from these imbalances, Jacob will instead follow suit, lavishing his favor on Joseph to such an extent that it fuels jealous revenge in the hearts of his other sons (Genesis 37:3–4).

The birth of Joseph increases the number of Jacob’s sons to 11. It also seems to be the event that turns Jacob’s thoughts to moving back to his home in the promised land of Canaan. Now that his true love, and favored wife, has borne a son, Jacob probably feels that he is ready to return home, and to face his future.

Verse 25. As soon as Rachel had borne Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me away, that I may go to my own home and country.

Jacob has now fathered at least 11 children by four different wives, including the two sisters, Leah and Rachel (Genesis 29:18–30), and their two servants, Bilhah and Zilpah (Genesis 30:1–10). The deal Jacob had made with his father-in-law Laban was to work for him another seven years after marrying Leah and Rachel. That time is now up. In fact, more than seven years may have passed, since Leah has by this time given birth to six sons and at least one daughter (Genesis 30:21).

However long it’s been, the birth of Rachel’s son Joseph seems to be the moment Jacob has been waiting for to finally declare his intention to leave Laban’s household and to return to his own homeland in Canaan. He now has a natural-born son from the woman he so dearly loves. This, in a sense, means that Jacob has entirely fulfilled his father’s purpose for sending him to this land (Genesis 28:1–3).

Jacob’s tone is demanding: “Send me away.” He will continue to take a firm tone in the following verses. In no small part due to prior deception, Jacob is aware that negotiating with Laban is a tricky thing.

Context Summary
Genesis 30:25-43 describes Jacob’s struggle to convince Laban to allow him to return to his own people with his wives and children, even though the 14 years of Jacob’s contracted service have ended. Laban asks Jacob to name new wages to continue to work for him. Laban knows he has grown wealthy due to the Lord’s blessing on Jacob. Jacob asks to own all the new off-color sheep and goats that will be born to Laban’s flock. Laban agrees and quickly tries to cheat Jacob. Nevertheless, the Lord blesses Jacob’s unusual breeding practices, causing so many off-color animals to be born in the flock that Jacob becomes a wealthy man in his own right. Soon he will leave Laban behind for good.

Verse 26. Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, that I may go, for you know the service that I have given you.”

Jacob’s agreed upon time of service to Laban is up. He has met his commitment to work for his father-in-law another seven years after marrying Leah and Rachel (Genesis 29:18–30). Jacob is ready to take his expansive family and return to his homeland.

He began in the previous verse by saying to Laban, “Send me away.” Now Jacob continues, “Give me.” The text seems to want us to catch that Jacob is taking a firm tone with Laban. He is aware that Laban will likely not want to lose Jacob’s productivity or his closeness to his daughters and grandchildren. He is also aware that Laban can be tough and tricky when he wants something—and prone to outrageous levels of deceit.

Joseph states clearly that he has met the terms of their agreement. He also demands clearly that Laban give to him his wives and children in exchange for all of his service. It’s possible there may have been a legal question about whether, as an indentured servant of sorts to his uncle, Jacob would have been entitled to possession of his own wife and children when leaving service to his “master.”

Verse 27. But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your sight, I have learned by divination that the Lord has blessed me because of you.

Jacob has met the terms of the agreement he had with Laban to work a total of fourteen years for his wives Rachel and Leah (Genesis 29:18–30). In that time, at least 11 children have been added to Jacob’s family. Now Jacob wants to go home. He has demanded that Laban, whom he has served as an indentured servant and slave, now release him, along with his wives and children.

Laban’s response here does not contain a yes or a no. Instead, he politely asks Jacob to stay. Laban reveals that he knows he is prospering because of the Lord’s blessing of Jacob.

Scholars seem to disagree about exactly what is meant by Laban’s statement about divination. It’s possible that he looked for good omens or performed a ritual to determine the Lord’s blessing. Or the language may simply mean that Laban “divined” the truth, figured it out, from the fact that he had grown so wealthy.

In any case, Laban says he has a lot to lose, financially, if Jacob leaves.

Verse 28.Name your wages, and I will give it.”

Jacob has fulfilled his contract with Laban. He has worked fourteen years in exchange for his two wives, Laban’s daughters (Genesis 29:18–30), even though half of this time was agreed to in the aftermath of a terrible betrayal. Now Jacob has demanded that Laban send him away so he can return to his own people (Genesis 30:25).

Laban has not agreed. It may be that Laban still has some legal right to detain Jacob, but he does not present his refusal in that way. Instead, Laban has openly revealed that he knows he has prospered because of the Lord’s blessing of Jacob. He doesn’t want to lose that. In this verse, he presents his refusal to let Jacob go as an opportunity for Jacob: “Name your price.” In other words, Laban is proposing that he and Jacob strike a new deal now that Jacob has fulfilled the terms of the old one.

This is dangerous territory for Jacob: so far, every time he has negotiated a price for service with Laban, those deals have either ended in treachery (Genesis 29:22–23), or a request for more service, as in this verse.

Verse 29. Jacob said to him, “You yourself know how I have served you, and how your livestock has fared with me.

Jacob has demanded that Laban allow him to leave, to take his wives and children and return to his own people (Genesis 30:25). Instead, Laban has suggested that they strike a new deal. The implication is that Jacob will be without any property of his own if he were to leave at this point. As a servant in Laban’s household, legal practice of the time would have suggested that everything in Jacob’s family belonged to the master—including the wives and children. Without permission, more than likely, any attempt by Jacob to leave could have been seen as an act of theft.

Now Jacob begins to make a proposal of his own. He starts by asking Laban to admit that he knows both that Jacob has served faithfully and that Laban’s livestock have thrived under his care. This seems to be the motivation for most of Laban’s actions: personal prosperity.

Verse 30. For you had little before I came, and it has increased abundantly, and the Lord has blessed you wherever I turned. But now when shall I provide for my own household also?”

Laban has told Jacob that, instead of leaving, he should name his own price, his own wages, to continue working for Laban (Genesis 30:25–28). Jacob is beginning to name that price. He starts by appealing to Laban, the father and grandfather of Jacob’s wives and children, about his need to provide for his own family.

Jacob reminds his father-in-law that before Jacob arrived, he had little. Laban has already said that he knows this is true. It’s why he doesn’t want Jacob to leave. Because of the Lord’s blessing on Jacob, Laban was able to prosper—helped in no small part by Laban’s own treachery (Genesis 29:18–30).

Whatever comes next, both of these men clearly understand that Laban’s wealth and Jacob’s success with the livestock are the result of God’s blessing, and a blessing on Jacob in particular. Whatever their motives, both men are negotiating from a position of faith in God’s power and His faithfulness to keep His promises to Jacob.

Verse 31. He said, “What shall I give you?” Jacob said, “You shall not give me anything. If you will do this for me, I will again pasture your flock and keep it:

Laban is ready to hear Jacob’s offer. He knows he has grown rich because of the Lord’s blessing on his son-in-law. He doesn’t want Jacob to return to his own people, as Jacob has asked to do. In that era, since Jacob was a servant of Laban, his entire family would have been considered part of Laban’s property, as well. In order to leave, without being accused of theft, he needs Laban to agree with their departure.

Instead of insisting on leaving right away, Jacob has come up with a plan to gain some wealth for himself. He is aware that Laban is a tough—and deceptive (Genesis 29:18–30)—negotiator. He is also counting on the fact that the Lord will continue to bless him abundantly.

Laban asks again: What do you want from me? Jacob surprises him with a tricky answer of his own: Don’t give me anything right now. Instead, Jacob will ask for a specific cut of the future profits in the following verses. Laban, predictably, will respond by trying to cheat Jacob.

Verse 32. let me pass through all your flock today, removing from it every speckled and spotted sheep and every black lamb, and the spotted and speckled among the goats, and they shall be my wages.

Jacob finally names his price in order to stay and continue working for Laban as the manager of his livestock (Genesis 30:25–28). Some commentators suggest that it would not be uncommon for a shepherd in this era to receive 20 percent of a flock as payment for his services. However, Jacob does not ask for a straight proportion of the flocks of sheep and goats as his own.

Instead, Jacob asks that any future black lambs or speckled and spotted sheep and goats be his payment. Apparently, most of the sheep in a flock were white all over, and most of the goats were entirely black. In essence, Jacob is asking for a seemingly small subset of the animals. As the following verses will reveal, Jacob believed he could produce a lot of these spotted and speckled animals with selective breeding (Genesis 30:37–39). Much later, Jacob will reveal his knowledge that God, not strange farming practices, is the real source of the animals’ growth (Genesis 31:10–13).

Laban, ever greedy and unfair, will hatch his own plan to try to keep Jacob’s take of the flock small.

Verse 33. So my honesty will answer for me later, when you come to look into my wages with you. Every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats and black among the lambs, if found with me, shall be counted stolen.”

Jacob has completed his service to Laban, and then some. After agreeing to work for seven years, then being tricked into another seven (Genesis 29:18–30), Jacob has continued to deliver prosperity to Laban as his family grows (Genesis 30:1–24). When Jacob makes up his mind to leave, however, he needs to get permission from Laban in order to take his family along (Genesis 30:25–26). Always looking for profit, Laban acknowledged that God had given prosperity by blessing Jacob, and asked Jacob to name his wages. Jacob has proposed to Laban that all of the future born black lambs and speckled or spotted sheep and goats be given to him as payment for working for Laban. In other words, Jacob is asking to only keep the “defective” animals produced by the flock (Genesis 30:27–32).

Now Jacob insists that this will keep things honest between them. After all, if Jacob’s personal flocks contain any all–white sheep or all–black goats, they will stand out as ones which should belong to Laban, and can be considered stolen.

Verse 34. Laban said, “Good! Let it be as you have said.”

Laban has asked Jacob to name his wages in order to continue working for his father-in-law (Genesis 30:25–33). Jacob’s offer is that all future-born black lambs and speckled or spotted sheep or goats will belong to him, while all fully white sheep or fully black goats will belong to Laban. White sheep and black goats were apparently much more common than black sheep or mixed-color animals. In essence, Jacob is asking to only be allowed to keep the “defective” animals, as his own pay.

Now Laban pounces on the deal: “Good!” or “Fine!” His eagerness is understandable: on the surface, Jacob’s plan sounds like it will result in a fairly small percentage of the overall flocks. Also, as the following verse will show, the ever-greedy and dishonest Laban has an idea to make sure Jacob’s percentage of the flock stays even smaller.

Verse 35. But that day Laban removed the male goats that were striped and spotted, and all the female goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had white on it, and every lamb that was black, and put them in the charge of his sons.

After agreeing to Jacob’s terms for his wages, Laban immediately finds a way to cheat. We see again that this man, Jacob’s father-in-law and Rebekah’s brother (Genesis 24:29), is a thoroughly dishonest man. Earlier, he treacherously claimed a local custom in order to cheat Jacob out of seven years of service, as well as indebting him to seven more (Genesis 29:18–30). Now, Laban again demonstrates that he’s not above blatant sabotage in order to prosper.

The agreement between Laban and Jacob was that Jacob would own every black sheep and mixed-color sheep or goat born among the flocks from this time forward. Fully white sheep and fully black goats were far more common, so the deal was already tipped in Laban’s favor. Jacob is asking to only keep the uncommon, “defective” animals. At least in theory, Laban again stands to gain a great deal from this arrangement.

And yet, to improve his odds even more, Laban now acts to remove all of the mixed-color animals and black sheep from the existing herds and gives those to his sons. Spotted and speckled sheep and goats are mostly likely to be born to spotted and speckled parents. If Laban were to remove all of those at the start, only a very small percentage born in the remaining flock—if any—were likely to be black lambs or mixed-color sheep or goats. This is a cheat designed to turn Jacob’s own plan against him. To further drive home his plan, Laban will also move these animals several days’ journey away from Jacob (Genesis 30:36).

Verse 36. And he set a distance of three days ‘ journey between himself and Jacob, and Jacob pastured the rest of Laban ‘s flock.

Laban has accepted Jacob’s proposal that all of the mixed-colored sheep and goats and all of the black lambs born from this point forward would be his (Genesis 30:25–34). This would have been an extremely good deal for Laban: these “off-color” animals were relatively uncommon, and not as prized as the pure-colored animals. Not content with simply getting a great deal, though, Laban immediately cheated. He quickly removed all of the mixed-colored sheep and goats and black sheep from his flocks and gave them to his sons (Genesis 30:35). This, of course, is to ensure that there is almost no chance of Jacob getting any wages, at all.

Now, to further seal up his underhanded plan, Laban moves all those mixed-colored animals three day’s journey away from the rest of the flock of solid white sheep and solid black goats. By this, Laban is ensuring that no wandering animals from the main flock will end up mating with a mix-colored animal or a black sheep. From his experience of owning large flocks of sheep and goats, Laban understand that he has now vastly reduced the odds of many mixed-color animals or black sheep being born out of the main flock. Those that will belong to Jacob should be very few in number.

Obviously, Laban is neither a gracious boss nor a caring father-in-law. In fact, he’s a blatantly greedy fraud. Even his own daughters, who are bitter rivals (Genesis 30:1–24), will later unite in an opinion that their father is unworthy of further obedience (Genesis 31:14–16).

But Jacob has a plan of his own, one we will later learn is fueled by another dream from God (Genesis 31:10–13).

Verse 37. Then Jacob took fresh sticks of poplar and almond and plane trees, and peeled white streaks in them, exposing the white of the sticks.

Earlier, Laban convinced Jacob to work for seven years for the right to marry his daughter, Rachel. However, Laban cheated Jacob by switching out his other daughter, Leah, on the wedding night. This led to Jacob being indebted to Laban for another seven years (Genesis 29:18–30). Now, with all of these deals completed and Jacob demanding to be released along with his family, Laban likely believes Jacob has made another bad deal. He has agreed to Jacob’s offer that all the non-black goats and non-white sheep born from this point forward will belong to him. To keep those numbers even lower than they would naturally be, Laban has removed all the black sheep and speckled/spotted animals from the main herd. In fact, he has moved them three-day’s journey away.

Jacob, though, is blessed by the Lord. As Genesis 31:7–12 will make clear, Jacob’s plan to claim all the spotted/speckled sheep and goats came from God. How he executes this plan may sound like some kind of folk magic, but it is the process by which God supernaturally blesses Jacob’s efforts to get more black sheep and mixed-color animals.

Jacob takes sticks fresh from three specific kinds of trees and strips the bark to reveal the white underneath. This is, in part, a play on words: the Hebrew term for “white” is laban. With God’s supernatural blessing, Jacob will use these sticks to influence how many striped, spotted, and speckled animals are born.

Verse 38. He set the sticks that he had peeled in front of the flocks in the troughs, that is, the watering places, where the flocks came to drink. And since they bred when they came to drink,

Jacob has created a device he will use to influence whether sheep and goats born in the flock are fully white and black, in turn, or mixed in color. It’s important to realize Jacob has made this bargain for the off-color animals at the Lord’s direction (Genesis 31:7–12). He has not dreamed this up on his own. The text does not appear to be suggesting that peeled sticks in or near a water source actually cause spotted or striped animals to be born. God is acting supernaturally to bless Jacob by causing a much higher than normal number of mixed-color offspring in response to Jacob’s device of placing these sticks in front of the animals he wishes to influence.

He has gathered fresh sticks from three specific trees and peeled back the bark to expose the white underneath. This, in fact, may have been part of Jacob’s symbolism in using these sticks. The Hebrew term for “white” is laban, making this a fairly direct reference to his cheating father-in-law.

Now Jacob places these sticks in or near the watering places for the flocks, since this is where the flocks also mated.

Verse 39. the flocks bred in front of the sticks and so the flocks brought forth striped, speckled, and spotted.

Jacob’s plan to build some wealth for himself and his family was complicated. He told his father-in-law Laban he would continue to work for him in exchange for all the striped, speckled, and spotted goats and off-color sheep to be born in the flocks he managed. Laban, ever greedy, said yes to this fantastic deal immediately. Laban, ever the cheat, also quickly moved all of the existing versions of those animals a three-day’s journey away, thinking he was outwitting Jacob.

As we will learn later, though, Jacob had already been told by the Lord that the flocks were going to yield many of these off-color animals, anyway (Genesis 31:7–12). With that in mind, Jacob devised an unorthodox way of influencing the animals he wanted to bear such offspring. God worked within Jacob’s device of placing sticks that had been stripped of bark near where the goats bred, causing all black goats to give birth to striped, speckled, and spotted offspring. Using another method described in the following verse, the white sheep also produced black lambs. In other words, it is God, not the sticks, which are producing these results.

Interestingly, Jacob’s use of peeled sticks probably involves a play on words: peeling the sticks exposes the “white” underneath. The Hebrew word for white is laban.

Laban’s scheming would not be able to overcome the Lord’s blessing on Jacob.

Verse 40. And Jacob separated the lambs and set the faces of the flocks toward the striped and all the black in the flock of Laban. He put his own droves apart and did not put them with Laban ‘s flock.

The previous verses described Jacob’s strategy for getting the black goats to produce striped, speckled, and spotted offspring. This verse describes his method for getting the white sheep to produce black lambs. This is a notoriously difficult verse to translate, and to interpret. It’s possible that Jacob caused the white sheep to mate while facing the black and striped animals in the flock, causing them to produce black offspring.

Once more, this isn’t intended to show that either Jacob or the Bible believed this to be a scientific method for breeding off-color animals. Jacob understood from the Lord that the flock was going to yield off-color animals (Genesis 31:7–12). The Lord honored Jacob’s method for identifying which of those animals he wanted to produce off-color offspring and caused it to happen. As the following verses will reveal, Jacob did not want all of the animals to be striped, speckled, spotted, or off-color.

As the off-color animals were born, Jacob separated them from the rest of the flock. In short, he separated his burgeoning flock from Laban’s, allowing him to keep track of just how quickly his own wealth was growing.

Verse 41. Whenever the stronger of the flock were breeding, Jacob would lay the sticks in the troughs before the eyes of the flock, that they might breed among the sticks,

Jacob and Laban have struck a deal that Jacob will own all of the striped, spotted, and speckled goats, as well as the black sheep born into the flock. Normally, that would be a small percentage of animals—a great deal for the greedy Laban. Laban, who is also dishonest and deceitful, attempted to make it even smaller by immediately removing all the existing off-color animals from the flock before Jacob’s plan could even begin (Genesis 30:25–36).

Still, the Lord blessed Jacob’s strategy for getting solid-colored goats to give birth to mixed color goats and white sheep to give birth to black sheep. Jacob influenced the animals by what he placed in their line of sight during breeding. So when the strong goats were mating, Jacob made sure they would see the sticks he had stripped and placed among them. As we will learn later, this is not because Jacob—or Scripture—actually believe that such techniques influence breeding. Rather, Jacob has already been told by God that this would happen, and the use of the sticks is simply Jacob’s means of control over God’s blessing (Genesis 31:7–12).

As the next verse will reveal, Jacob removed the sticks when the weaker animals were breeding. This selective breeding ensured that Jacob’s animals would be strong, while Laban’s would become increasingly weak.

Verse 42. but for the feebler of the flock he would not lay them there. So the feebler would be Laban ‘s, and the stronger Jacob ‘s.

The previous verse restated Jacob’s strategy of placing stripped sticks within the line of sight of the animals that were breeding to ensure that they gave birth to off-color animals that Jacob could claim as his own. However, he only did so for the strongest animals.

God honored Jacob’s device for indicating which animals he wanted to bear off-color offspring, causing those to be born in Jacob’s favor and not in Laban’s. Later, Jacob will clarify that he was given another dream from God, crediting the Lord with changing the nature of the flock (Genesis 31:7–12). Jacob doesn’t think the sticks, themselves, are changing the sheep; rather, God is blessing Jacob by influencing the flock according to Jacob’s wishes.

Now we see that Jacob removes his sticks from sight when the weak or feeble animals are mating. In this way, he ensures that those animals give birth to solid white sheep and solid black goats. Over time, this selective breeding would result in Laban’s sheep and goats becoming weaker, while Jacob’s became stronger.

Verse 43. Thus the man increased greatly and had large flocks, female servants and male servants, and camels and donkeys.

Jacob’s deal with Laban for the off-color animals to be born in the flocks (Genesis 30:25–34) seemed, at first, to be another way in which Laban would take advantage of his son-in-law (Genesis 29:18–30). His greed is so potent that even his own daughters (Genesis 29:16), who are bitter rivals (Genesis 30:8), will later unify in condemning their father for his attitude (Genesis 31:14–16). Not only does Laban agree to what seems to be a ridiculously good deal, he tries to cheat Jacob by stripping the flocks of the very animals Jacob needs to produce in order to make his wages (Genesis 30:35–36).

Since God is on Jacob’s side, Laban’s tactics won’t work. Instead, with God’s intervention and Jacob’s crafty strategy, the deal made Jacob a wealthy man in his own right. So many off-color sheep and goats were born into the flock that Jacob was apparently able to sell some of them to acquire male and female servants of his own, as well as camels and donkeys.

The Lord promised great things to Jacob before he arrived in Laban’s territory. Now God has demonstrated that His blessing continues to be on Jacob. Soon Jacob will be ready at last to return to the land of his own people.

End of Chapter 30.

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