Jacob's Flocks Increase

Soon after the birth of Joseph to Rachel, Jacob said to Laban, "I want to go back home. Let me take my wives and children--for I earned them from you--and be gone, for you know how fully I have paid for them with my services to you."

"Please don't leave me," Laban replied, "for a fortune-teller that I consulted told me that the many blessings I've been enjoying are all because of your being here. How much of a raise do you need to get you to stay? Whatever it is, I'll pay it."

Jacob replied, "You know how faithfully I've served you through these many years, and how your flocks and herds have grown. For it was little indeed you had before I came, and your wealth has increased enormously; Jehovah has blessed you from everything I do! But now, what about me? When should I provide for my own family?"

"What wages do you want?" Laban asked again.

Jacob replied, "If you will do one thing, I'll go back to work for you. Let me go out among your flocks today and remove all the goats that are speckled or spotted, and all the black sheep. Give them to me as my wages. Then if you ever find any white goats or sheep in my flock, you will know that I have stolen them from you!"

"All right!" Laban replied. "It shall be as you have said!"

So that very day Laban went out and formed a flock for Jacob of all the male goats that were ringed and spotted, and the females that were speckled and spotted with any white patches, and all of the black sheep. He gave them to Jacob's sons to take them three days' distance, and Jacob stayed and cared for Laban's flock. Then Jacob took fresh shoots from poplar, almond, and plane trees, and peeled white streaks in them, and placed these rods beside the watering troughs so that the flocks would see them when they came to drink; for that is when they mated. So the flocks mated before the white-streaked rods, and their offspring were streaked and spotted, and Jacob added them to his flock. Then he divided out the ewes from Laban's flock and segregated them from the rams, and let them mate only with Jacob's black rams. Thus he built his flocks from Laban's. Moreover, he watched for the stronger animals to mate, and placed the peeled branches before them, but didn't with the feebler ones. So the less healthy lambs were Laban's and the stronger ones were Jacob's! As a result, Jacob's flocks increased rapidly and he became very wealthy, with many servants, camels, and donkeys.

Jacob Flees From Laban »

TEXT SOURCE: (Genesis 30:25-43) The Children's Living Bible, ©1970 Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton Illinois 60187
TITLE SOURCE: The New Student Bible, ©1992 Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids Michigan 49530