Genesis 30:37 kjv

And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chestnut tree; and pilled white streaks in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods.

Genesis 30:37 nkjv

Now Jacob took for himself rods of green poplar and of the almond and chestnut trees, peeled white strips in them, and exposed the white which was in the rods.

Genesis 30:37 niv

Jacob, however, took fresh-cut branches from poplar, almond and plane trees and made white stripes on them by peeling the bark and exposing the white inner wood of the branches.

Genesis 30:37 esv

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

Genesis 30:37 nlt

Then Jacob took some fresh branches from poplar, almond, and plane trees and peeled off strips of bark, making white streaks on them.

Genesis 30 verses

Genesis 30 37 Meaning

Genesis 30:37 describes Jacob's ingenious strategy for increasing his flock. After making an unusual agreement with Laban, Jacob prepared specific tree branches by stripping off parts of their bark to expose white sections. He intended for these striped, peeled rods to be placed in the watering troughs where the flocks came to drink during mating season, believing this visual stimulus would influence the coloration of the resulting offspring. The verse lays the groundwork for the surprising outcome, setting the scene for Jacob's dramatic success against Laban's deceptive practices, implicitly by divine favor.

Genesis 30 37 Context

Genesis 30:37 is situated within the narrative of Jacob's servitude to Laban (Genesis 29-31), specifically during the period when Jacob sought to establish his own household and acquire wealth after twenty years of working for Laban. Laban had repeatedly cheated Jacob, changing his wages ten times (Gen 31:7, 41). Weary of Laban's dishonesty and desiring to provide for his family and depart, Jacob proposed a unique wage agreement: he would take only the speckled, spotted, and dark-colored animals from the flock, while Laban kept the strong, solid-colored ones.

Laban quickly removed all such existing animals, leaving Jacob only with the weakest solid-colored sheep and goats, believing Jacob would gain little. However, Jacob, drawing upon what was likely contemporary understanding of animal breeding (or sympathetic magic), implemented his specific strategy with the branches. The immediate context, therefore, is one of human ingenuity and faith working in direct response to Laban's trickery, all within the overarching divine promise to bless Jacob (Gen 28:13-15).

Genesis 30 37 Word analysis

• Jacob (יַעֲקֹב - Ya'akov): The patriarch, son of Isaac, grandson of Abraham. His name means "he who supplants" or "heel-grabber," which resonates with his dealings with Laban and reflects a proactive nature, even in human strategies.
• took (לָקַח - lachakh): Hebrew verb meaning "to take, lay hold of, seize." It indicates an intentional and active initiative on Jacob's part. This was not a passive waiting for divine intervention, but an energetic, calculated effort.
• fresh branches (מַקְלוֹת לִבְנֶה - maqloṭ liḇnē):
  • מַקְלוֹת (maqloṭ): Plural of מַקֵּל (maqel), meaning "rod, staff, stick." It refers to branches or shoots cut for a specific purpose.
  • לִבְנֶה (liḇnē): The "poplar" tree. This specific tree, along with the others mentioned, was chosen perhaps due to its sap-rich nature, making it easy to strip, or its commonality in the region, or possibly for certain properties attributed to it in folk belief regarding animal health or fecundity.
• of poplar (לִבְנֶה - liḇnē), almond (לוּז - lūz), and plane trees (עַרְמוֹן - 'armōn):
  • לִבְנֶה (liḇnē): Poplar (as above).
  • לוּז (lūz): Usually translated as "almond" or "hazel." Both are common trees in the region and have distinct bark patterns or colors, which would become relevant when stripped. This points to specific botanical choices made by Jacob.
  • עַרְמוֹן ('armōn): Refers to the "plane tree" (sycamore) or "chestnut tree." These trees are also noted for their particular bark. The selection of these particular trees suggests Jacob was drawing upon either traditional knowledge of animal husbandry related to specific vegetation, or applying popular folk remedies or sympathetic magic.
• and stripped white strips (וַיַּצֵּל בָּהֶן פְּצָלוֹת לְבָנוֹת - vayyatstsel bahén petzālōṯ ləḇānōṯ):
  • וַיַּצֵּל (vayyatstsel): From נצל (natzal), meaning "to strip off, peel." This describes the act of peeling or scoring the bark. It's an intentional and meticulous action.
  • בָּהֶן (bahén): "In them," referring to the branches.
  • פְּצָלוֹת (petzālōṯ): Plural of פְּצָלָה (petzalah), meaning "a stripping, peeling." These are the physical strips or patterns created by the stripping.
  • לְבָנוֹת (ləḇānōṯ): Plural of לָבָן (lavan), meaning "white." This is the key outcome of the stripping, exposing the pale wood beneath the darker bark. The emphasis on "white" directly correlates with the desired "white" markings on the future offspring (part of the speckled/spotted outcome).
• exposing the white wood (מַחְשֹׂף הַלָּבָן אֲשֶׁר בַּמַּקְלוֹת - machsof ha-lavan asher ba-maqloṭ):
  • מַחְשֹׂף (machsof): From חסף (chasaf), meaning "to uncover, expose." It signifies the deliberate act of revealing what was previously covered.
  • הַלָּבָן (ha-lavan): "The white." This highlights the striking contrast of the exposed white wood against the darker bark, forming distinct patterns.
  • אֲשֶׁר בַּמַּקְלוֹת (asher ba-maqloṭ): "Which was in the branches." This specifies the location of the revealed white material.
• Word-group Analysis:
  • "Jacob took fresh branches...and stripped white strips...exposing the white wood": This entire phrase describes a purposeful, active ritual or technique employed by Jacob. The detailed description of the type of wood and the stripping method points to an intentional strategy. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, sympathetic magic was a prevalent belief—the idea that like produces like, or that observing a pattern could influence offspring. While some scholars suggest it was a folk breeding technique, others emphasize the context of God's later affirmation (Gen 31:10-12) that He Himself manipulated the genetic outcome, possibly using Jacob's human effort/faith (or even a popular, albeit scientifically inaccurate, practice) as the means through which His divine will was accomplished. This may implicitly stand as a polemic against pagan sympathetic magic's efficacy in isolation, showing God's sovereign control over even what appears to be a naturalistic or magical process. The effectiveness ultimately derived not from the branches themselves, but from the hand of God fulfilling His promises to Jacob.

Genesis 30 37 Bonus section

The debate surrounding the "striped rods" goes beyond simple sympathetic magic or genetics. Some ancient commentaries and traditions suggest that this specific act was a symbolic representation of God's covenant with Jacob, and thus the resulting wealth was not simply random chance or a 'trick' but a physical manifestation of divine favor and blessing (compare with Ez 4:3-12 and its use of symbolism).

The detailed description of the type of trees chosen (poplar, almond, plane/chestnut) may not be random. In certain ancient Near Eastern contexts, these specific trees had varying symbolic associations or were linked to different properties. For instance, almond trees were sometimes associated with alertness or haste (Jer 1:11-12) due to being one of the first trees to blossom. While the primary function here seems practical, it opens the door to understanding how the mundane elements of life (trees, animals, and breeding practices) could become vehicles for profound spiritual or theological truth about God's activity in the world and His direct involvement in the prosperity of His people, in defiance of wicked human schemes. This subtle interplay suggests that while Jacob acted with what he knew, God ensured the outcome was a testament to His power, not human superstition alone.

Genesis 30 37 Commentary

Genesis 30:37 records Jacob's creative method to manipulate the breeding outcomes of Laban's flock, a desperate and resourceful move amidst Laban's repeated trickery. The passage highlights Jacob's practical ingenuity, where he uses common trees and a specific stripping technique to create visual patterns on the branches. These patterned branches were then strategically placed in watering troughs, where mating animals would supposedly see them, influencing the characteristics of their offspring.

This act by Jacob aligns with an ancient belief system often categorized as "sympathetic magic," where it was thought that external visual stimuli or conditions experienced during conception could determine traits in progeny (e.g., seeing spotted objects would lead to spotted animals). While modern science understands genetics differently, this narrative presents the practice as foundational to Jacob's success. However, a crucial interpretive key lies later in Genesis 31:7-12, where God appears to Jacob in a dream and clarifies that He has seen Laban's actions and He is the one who has made the flocks give birth to streaked, speckled, and mottled offspring.

This divine revelation fundamentally reinterprets Jacob's efforts. It indicates that the true success was not due to the inherent power of the branches or sympathetic magic, but was a supernatural intervention by God. God used Jacob's action—which could have been a blend of folk wisdom, personal belief, or a testing of God's providence—as a vehicle or a trigger for His divine blessing. Jacob's actions demonstrate his faith, his commitment to his family's provision, and his resourcefulness, but ultimately, the narrative underlines God's sovereignty over natural processes and His faithfulness to His covenant promises, particularly to bless and multiply Jacob. God demonstrated His ability to circumvent Laban's cunning, even by employing an seemingly unorthodox human method, to achieve His righteous purposes.

• Practical usage: This account can illustrate that God often blesses our diligent efforts, even when our understanding of how things work is imperfect or our methods seem unorthodox. We are called to use our intelligence and apply ourselves, but remember that the ultimate success comes from God's power and blessing, not solely our own wisdom or stratagem. It also serves as a reminder that God can work through any means necessary to protect His chosen ones and fulfill His promises.