Genesis 30:35 kjv
And he removed that day the he goats that were ring-streaked and spotted, and all the she goats that were speckled and spotted, and every one that had some white in it, and all the brown among the sheep, and gave them into the hand of his sons.
Genesis 30:35 nkjv
So he removed that day the male goats that were speckled and spotted, all the female goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had some white in it, and all the brown ones among the lambs, and gave them into the hand of his sons.
Genesis 30:35 niv
That same day he removed all the male goats that were streaked or spotted, and all the speckled or spotted female goats (all that had white on them) and all the dark-colored lambs, and he placed them in the care of his sons.
Genesis 30:35 esv
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.
Genesis 30:35 nlt
But that very day Laban went out and removed the male goats that were streaked and spotted, all the female goats that were speckled and spotted or had white patches, and all the black sheep. He placed them in the care of his own sons,
Genesis 30 35 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:2 | "I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you..." | God's promise to bless Abraham and his descendants. |
| Gen 26:12-14 | "Isaac sowed in that land and reaped a hundredfold... he had possessions of flocks..." | God's blessing of Isaac with great prosperity. |
| Gen 31:7-9 | "...your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times... But God did not permit him to harm me." | God protected Jacob from Laban's deceit and ensured his prosperity. |
| Gen 31:12 | "I have seen all that Laban has done to you." | God's watchful eye over His faithful servants. |
| Deut 8:18 | "But you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth..." | God is the ultimate source of wealth and provision. |
| Deut 24:14-15 | "You shall not oppress a hired servant... lest he cry to the Lord against you..." | Command against oppressing laborers by withholding wages. |
| Ps 1:3 | "He is like a tree planted by streams of water, that yields its fruit in its season..." | The prosperity God grants to those who delight in His law. |
| Ps 33:10-11 | "The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing... The counsel of the Lord stands forever..." | God's sovereignty over human plans and schemes. |
| Ps 37:16 | "Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues with injustice." | Contrasting righteous provision with unjust wealth. |
| Prov 10:22 | "The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it." | Divine blessing is the true source of wealth. |
| Prov 19:21 | "Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand." | Human intentions are subject to God's ultimate plan. |
| Job 5:12 | "He frustrates the devices of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success." | God thwarts the cunning plans of wicked individuals. |
| Isa 46:10 | "declaring the end from the beginning... saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’" | God's foreknowledge and sovereign execution of His will. |
| Jer 22:13 | "Woe to him... who makes his neighbor serve him for nothing and does not give him his wages." | Condemnation for injustice and withholding wages. |
| Mal 3:5 | "...against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages..." | God's judgment on those who defraud laborers. |
| Matt 20:13-15 | Parable of the laborers in the vineyard, showing the master's prerogative in giving wages. | Divine prerogative in compensation and grace. |
| Luke 16:10 | "One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much..." | Principle of stewardship and faithfulness in material things. |
| Phil 4:19 | "And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus." | God's ultimate provision for His people. |
| Jas 1:17 | "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights..." | All good provision originates from God. |
| Jas 5:4 | "Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields... are crying out against you..." | Warning against those who defraud their laborers. |
| Heb 13:5 | "Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have..." | Call for contentment, counteracting greed exemplified by Laban. |
| 1 Pet 5:7 | "casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." | God's care and provision alleviates human anxieties about needs. |
Genesis 30 verses
Genesis 30 35 Meaning
Genesis 30:35 records Laban's immediate, calculating action after Jacob proposed his new wage arrangement for tending Laban's flocks. Jacob requested only the unusual, off-color sheep and goats (speckled, spotted, streaked, black among sheep) as his wages, with the majority of white and unblemished animals remaining Laban's. Laban, presuming he could outsmart Jacob and ensure maximum profit for himself, swiftly removed all the animals that fit Jacob's criteria and gave them into the care of his own sons. This preemptive move was designed to deplete the very stock from which Jacob's future earnings would come, attempting to make it impossible for Jacob to acquire wealth from the flock.Genesis 30 35 Context
Genesis chapter 30 concludes Jacob's service to Laban, which has lasted for twenty years. Following the births of his many children and having served his contractual periods for Leah and Rachel, Jacob desires to return to his own land (Gen 30:25). He asserts that God has blessed Laban's household through him. Laban, however, values Jacob's presence due to the prosperity he has experienced (Gen 30:27). When Jacob finally expresses his desire to go and "provide for my own household," Laban negotiates to retain him, asking him to name his wages (Gen 30:28-29).Jacob proposes a seemingly disadvantageous arrangement: he would only take as his wages any speckled, spotted, or dark-colored animals that would be born in the future from the otherwise typically solid-colored flocks (Gen 30:31-33). Normal sheep were white, and normal goats were black or dark brown. Speckled or spotted animals were rare genetic variations. This verse (Gen 30:35) depicts Laban's swift and cunning response. He immediately removed all such already existing animals from the flock and entrusted them to his sons, moving them a three-day journey away (Gen 30:36). This was an act of extreme cunning, designed to strip Jacob of any chance of accumulating wealth, thinking he could fully control Jacob's wages. Laban aimed to ensure that all current "unusual" animals would produce more for him, and Jacob would be left with a flock guaranteed to produce only solid colors, from which Jacob would receive nothing. This set the stage for God to intervene miraculously, showing His faithfulness to Jacob despite human trickery.
Genesis 30 35 Word analysis
He removed (וַיָּסַר - vayyasar): Derived from the Hebrew root סוּר (sur), meaning "to turn aside," "to take away," or "to remove." This word indicates a decisive, immediate action by Laban. It highlights his proactivity in trying to thwart Jacob's future earnings. This wasn't a passive wait; it was a quick, deliberate segregation of the valuable assets.
That day (בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא - bayyom hahu): This temporal phrase emphasizes the immediacy and urgency of Laban's action. No time was wasted; as soon as Jacob's proposal was made, Laban acted to protect his perceived interests, believing he could seize the advantage before Jacob could profit.
The speckled (הַנְּקֻדִּים - hannequddim): From the root נָקַד (naqad), meaning "to be dotted" or "speckled." These refer to animals with small dots or flecks of color.
And spotted (וְהַטְּלוּאִים - vehaṭṭeluim): From the root טָלָא (tala), meaning "to patch" or "to cover with spots." These animals had larger patches of different colors.
He-goats (הָעַתּוּדִים - ha'attudim): Specifically refers to the male goats, the leading and often more dominant members of the goat flock, valuable for breeding.
Streaked (הַפְּסֻלִּים - happesullim): This word is more accurately translated as "striped" or "ring-streaked." It comes from the root פָּס (pas), often associated with striped garments or distinctive patterns, referring to animals with bands or stripes of color.
She-goats (הָעִזִּים - ha'izzim): Refers to the female goats, essential for herd multiplication.
Every one that had white in it (כָּל־אֲשֶׁר לָבָן בּוֹ - kol asher lavan bo): Literally, "all that white was in it." This specifies any animal with some amount of white in its coat, a broad category designed to ensure Laban retained maximum control over breeding stock, since many "off-color" animals might have some white markings. It applies to goats.
And all the black (וְכָל־הַשְׁחוֹר - vekhol hashchor): Refers specifically to sheep that were black. Normal sheep were white; black sheep were an exception and thus qualified under Jacob's proposal.
Among the sheep (בַּכְּשָׂבִים - bakkesavim): Clarifies that the black animals mentioned are specifically from the sheep flock.
And gave them (וַיִּתֵּן - vayyitten): From נָתַן (natan), "to give" or "to put." It shows the decisive transfer of ownership or control.
Into the hand of his sons (בְּיַד בָּנָיו - beyad banav): The phrase "into the hand of" signifies placing something under the control, power, or authority of another. Laban entrusted these animals to his sons to ensure they were removed from Jacob's influence or manipulation. This suggests a desire for greater security and prevention against Jacob accessing or influencing these desired breeding animals. His sons were loyal to Laban, not Jacob.
Words-group Analysis:
- "So he removed that day... and gave them into the hand of his sons.": This whole phrase describes Laban's proactive and shrewd move to safeguard his wealth and undermine Jacob's potential prosperity. By removing the very specific animals that would constitute Jacob's wage pool, Laban sought to eliminate the source of Jacob's future earnings before Jacob could even begin his new method of selection. It exemplifies Laban's cunning, his desire for profit, and his fundamental distrust of Jacob. His entrusting the flock to his sons reinforces this, putting the 'off-limits' animals under a watch more directly loyal to Laban himself, further distancing them from Jacob's care and breeding methods.
- "the speckled and spotted he-goats, and all the streaked and spotted she-goats, every one that had white in it, and all the black among the sheep": This comprehensive listing of animal characteristics reflects Jacob's precise wage proposal from the preceding verses (Gen 30:32-33). Laban's meticulous removal of every single animal matching this description underscores his extreme vigilance and greed. He was careful to ensure nothing that could become Jacob's was left within Jacob's reach, reflecting a mind obsessed with securing his own profit.