Genesis 30:29-36

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 30:25-36

We have here, I. Jacob's thoughts of home. He faithfully served his time out with Laban, even his second apprenticeship, though he was an old man, had a large family to provide for, and it was high time for him to set up for himself. Though Laban's service was hard, and he had cheated him in the first bargain he had made, yet Jacob honestly performs his engagements. Note, A good man, though he swear to his own hurt, will not change. And though others have deceived us this will not justify us... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 30:29

And he said unto him ,.... Jacob to Laban: thou knowest that I have served thee ; not only diligently and faithfully, without any salary, excepting for his wives; otherwise he had no wages for his service all this time, which therefore should be considered for the future: and how thy cattle was with me : always under his care, and he ever watchful of them; spent all his time and labour with them, and had no opportunity of getting anything for himself. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 30:30

For it was little which thou hadst before I came ,.... Perhaps but a single flock, and that not a very large one, since Rachel, his youngest daughter, had the care of it: and it is now increased unto a multitude ; or "broke forth" F13 יפרץ "erupit", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Drusius. , spread itself over the fields and plains, hills and mountains adjacent, so that they were covered with his sheep, these bringing forth thousands and ten thousands, Psalm 144:13 , ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 30:31

And he said, what shall I give thee ?.... So said Laban to Jacob, still avoiding making any offer himself, but waiting for Jacob, and pressing upon him to fix his wages: and Jacob said, thou shalt not give me anything ; a speech Laban liked very well: his meaning is, that he should give him no certain settled salary, nor even of anything that Laban was now possessed of, and God had blessed him with for his sake he did not desire any part of it: but if thou wilt do this thing for me ;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 30:32

I will pass through all thy flock today ,.... Not alone, but Laban and his sons with him: removing from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle ; that is, such as were black and had white spots on them, or were white and had black spots on them; and the "speckled", according to Jarchi and Ben Melech, were such as had small spots on them; and the "spotted" were such as had larger: and all the brown cattle among the sheep ; the russet coloured ones, or the "black" F15 חום ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 30:33

So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come ,.... Either by the success I shall have, and the blessing of God upon me, making it prosperous; it will appear in time to come, and to all posterity, that I have most righteously and faithfully served thee: or rather, such a separation being made in Laban's flock, all the spotted ones being removed, and only white ones left with Jacob to keep; it would be a clear case hereafter, if any such should be found with Jacob, they were not... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 30:34

And Laban said ,.... Being well pleased with the proposal Jacob made, as knowing that, generally speaking, cattle of a colour produced those that were of the same; and whereas Jacob proposed to have a flock of sheep of only white in colour, committed to his care, and to have such for his own that should be produced of them, that were speckled, spotted, and brown, Laban concluded from the general nature of things that he could have but very few, if any, and therefore was for striking the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 30:35

And he removed that day the he goats that were ringstraked and spotted ,.... That had strakes of a different colour from the rest on their shoulders, thighs, logs, or feet, or in any part of the body: the word here used stands in the room of that before translated "speckled"; this Laban did, as the context shows; he went about it immediately at the motion of Jacob, with which he was pleased: and all the she goats that were speckled and spotted ; so that there might be neither male nor... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible 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... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 30:30

For it was little which thou had before I came - Jacob takes advantage of the concession made by his father-in-law, and asserts that it was for his sake that the Lord had blessed him: Since my coming, לרגלי leragli , according to my footsteps - every step I took in thy service, God prospered to the multiplication of thy flocks and property. When shall I provide for mine own house - Jacob had already laid his plan; and, from what is afterwards mentioned, we find him using all his... read more

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