Genesis 30:32 kjv

I will pass through all thy flock to day, removing from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats: and of such shall be my hire.

Genesis 30:32 nkjv

Let me pass through all your flock today, removing from there all the speckled and spotted sheep, and all the brown ones among the lambs, and the spotted and speckled among the goats; and these shall be my wages.

Genesis 30:32 niv

Let me go through all your flocks today and remove from them every speckled or spotted sheep, every dark-colored lamb and every spotted or speckled goat. They will be my wages.

Genesis 30:32 esv

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.

Genesis 30:32 nlt

Let me inspect your flocks today and remove all the sheep and goats that are speckled or spotted, along with all the black sheep. Give these to me as my wages.

Genesis 30 verses

Genesis 30 32 Meaning

Genesis 30:32 records Jacob's innovative and seemingly unfavorable proposal to Laban for his wages. He suggests that he will remove all existing uniquely colored livestock—specifically, all speckled and spotted sheep, every black lamb, and all spotted and speckled goats—from Laban's flock. Moving forward, only the similarly unique, less common, and genetically recessive offspring born thereafter would constitute his compensation for his continued labor. This arrangement aimed to make Jacob's future earnings contingent upon rare occurrences, appearing to heavily favor Laban, while secretly setting the stage for divine intervention in Jacob's prosperity.

Genesis 30 32 Context

Genesis chapter 30 continues the narrative of Jacob's life in Haran under Laban. At this point, Jacob has completed his fourteen years of labor for Rachel and Leah and desires to return to his own land. However, Laban, who has observed that the Lord has blessed him because of Jacob (Gen 30:27), cunningly insists that Jacob name his price to stay. This verse captures Jacob's strategic counter-proposal. He understands Laban's manipulative and greedy nature, having endured his changing of wages multiple times in the past (Gen 31:7, 41). Jacob proposes a deal that appears economically unpromising for him but leverages Laban's covetousness to his advantage, setting up a situation where divine intervention would undeniably be the cause of his prosperity. This negotiation takes place within the context of ancient pastoral societies, where livestock constituted significant wealth and meticulous animal husbandry was crucial.

Genesis 30 32 Word analysis

• "I will pass through": (עָבַר, `avar) - Literally "to cross over" or "to go through." In this context, it implies a thorough inspection or sorting. Jacob offers to personally supervise the separation of the animals, indicating transparency and accountability on his part, and a desire to eliminate any pre-existing unusual patterns from his potential share.
• "all your flock": (צֹאנְךָ, tso’nkha) - Refers to both sheep and goats collectively, as was common in ancient Israelite herding. This emphasizes the comprehensiveness of the inspection.
• "removing from it": (וְהַצֵּל מִשָּׁם, v’hatseil misham) - The verb natzal (נצל) means to rescue, deliver, or strip off. Here, it signifies a precise and definite separation or setting apart. Jacob will purge the flock of all animals with the specified markings that currently exist, ensuring his claim is only on newly born animals with these rare patterns.
• "every speckled": (נָקֹד, naqod) - Meaning "spotted" or "marked with points." Refers to animals with small, distinct dots or speckles, resembling dots.
• "and spotted": (טָלֻא, tālū) - Meaning "patchy" or "variegated." Implies larger, irregular blotches or patches of color. These are two distinct patterns that are generally rarer in the natural coloration of unbred sheep (which tend to be white) and goats (which tend to be solid black or dark brown).
• "and every black lamb": (וְכֶשֶׂב חום, v’khesev chum) - Khesev (כֶּשֶׂב) is a young lamb. Chum (חום) means "hot" or "sunburnt," referring to a dark brown or black color. Black lambs were rare, as dominant sheep were usually white. This adds another layer of rarity to Jacob's proposed wages.
• "and the spotted and speckled among the goats": (וְטָלוּא וְנָקֹד בָּעִזִּים, v’talū u’naqod ba`izzim) - Reiterate the same specific patterns, applied to goats. Wild goats are typically solid colors. This again signifies rare or recessive traits. The distinct patterns among goats are emphasized as well, making the condition for Jacob's wages even stricter in appearance.
• "and these shall be my wages": (וְהָיָה שְׂכָרִי, v'hayah skhari) - Skhar (שְׂכָר) means "hire" or "reward." This explicitly states the terms of his compensation. Jacob ties his entire livelihood to these seemingly improbable conditions, demonstrating either immense trust in God or extreme cunning, or both.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "removing from it every speckled and spotted sheep and every black lamb, and the spotted and speckled among the goats": This precise and exhaustive specification of undesirable (from a conventional breeding perspective) and rare color patterns reveals Jacob's shrewdness. By agreeing to clear out the existing unusual livestock and only taking future unique offspring, he makes the deal appear immensely favorable to Laban. This serves as the foundation for the divine intervention, as God supernaturally ensures that an abundance of these "rare" animals would be born. It transforms what seems like a low-risk, high-gain agreement for Laban into a conduit for Jacob's miraculous prosperity.

Genesis 30 32 Bonus section

• This verse sets the stage for a unique example of God's providence operating through natural means (animal breeding) yet with supernatural outcomes. It's a testament to how God honors His commitments to His people, even in the midst of adversarial relationships and cunning human interactions.
• The terms "speckled" (naqod) and "spotted" (talu) are distinct. Speckled generally implies small, scattered dots, whereas spotted refers to larger, irregular patches of color. This precision reflects Jacob's meticulousness in setting the terms, leaving no room for Laban to easily reinterpret them.
• While Jacob's method in Genesis 30:37-39 is presented, the ultimate prosperity comes from divine favor (Gen 31:9, 12) rather than purely from human cleverness or even any scientifically sound breeding practice for the time. This underscores that true blessing comes from the Lord, not solely from human effort or trickery.
• The story implicitly contrasts Laban's materialistic and deceptive nature with God's justice and generosity. Laban attempts to exploit Jacob, but God transforms the exploitative situation into one of immense blessing for His chosen one.

Genesis 30 32 Commentary

Genesis 30:32 encapsulates Jacob's strategy in dealing with Laban, highlighting the ongoing tension between human shrewdness and divine providence. Jacob proposes what appears to be an extremely disadvantageous arrangement for himself: he will receive as wages only the rare, speckled, spotted, or black animals born after the initial culling. At first glance, Laban readily accepts because he perceives it as a minimal commitment with maximum gain, seeing little to no financial risk. Normal flocks were primarily white sheep and solid-colored goats, so unusual markings were rare. Laban likely anticipated Jacob earning very little, thus ensuring Jacob's continued, virtually unpaid labor, further exhibiting Laban's pervasive greed and manipulative character.

However, Jacob's proposal is not simply a desperate measure. It positions God to display His faithfulness to His covenant promises (Gen 28:15) by intervening directly. This intervention, elaborated upon in the subsequent verses (Gen 30:37-43), illustrates how God can take a seemingly impossible situation—where human schemes are pitted against one another—and turn it into a display of His power and blessing. Whether Jacob truly believed in his "breeding experiment" or primarily in God's miraculous provision is debated by scholars, but the outcome undeniably points to God's hand. He ensured Jacob, who had endured twenty years of deception from Laban, received a just and abundant reward, establishing a powerful and independent household in preparation for his return to the promised land.