Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Whenever the stronger females were in heat, Jacob would place the branches in the troughs in front of the animals so they would mate near the branches, New Living Translation Whenever the stronger females were ready to mate, Jacob would place the peeled branches in the watering troughs in front of them. Then they would mate in front of the branches. English Standard Version Whenever the stronger of the flock were breeding, Jacob would lay the sticks in the troughs before the eyes of the flock, that they might breed among the sticks, Berean Standard Bible Whenever the stronger females of the flock were in heat, Jacob would place the branches in the troughs, in full view of the animals, so that they would breed in front of the branches. King James Bible And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger cattle did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the cattle in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods. New King James Version And it came to pass, whenever the stronger livestock conceived, that Jacob placed the rods before the eyes of the livestock in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods. New American Standard Bible Moreover, whenever the stronger of the flock were mating, Jacob would place the rods in the sight of the flock in the drinking troughs, so that they would mate by the rods; NASB 1995 Moreover, whenever the stronger of the flock were mating, Jacob would place the rods in the sight of the flock in the gutters, so that they might mate by the rods; NASB 1977 Moreover, it came about whenever the stronger of the flock were mating, that Jacob would place the rods in the sight of the flock in the gutters, so that they might mate by the rods; Legacy Standard Bible Now it would be that, whenever the stronger of the flock were mating, Jacob would place the rods in the sight of the flock in the trough, so that they might mate by the rods; Amplified Bible Furthermore, whenever the stronger [animals] of the flocks were breeding, Jacob would place the branches in the sight of the flock in the watering troughs, so that they would mate and conceive among the branches; Christian Standard Bible Whenever the stronger of the flock were breeding, Jacob placed the branches in the troughs, in full view of the flocks, and they would breed in front of the branches. Holman Christian Standard Bible Whenever the stronger of the flock were breeding, Jacob placed the branches in the troughs, in full view of the flocks, and they would breed in front of the branches. American Standard Version And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger of the flock did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the flock in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods; Contemporary English Version When the stronger sheep were mating near the drinking place, Jacob made sure that the spotted branches were there. English Revised Version And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger of the flock did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the flock in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods; GOD'S WORD® Translation Whenever the stronger of the flocks were in heat, Jacob would lay the branches in the troughs in front of them so that they would mate by the branches. Good News Translation When the healthy animals were mating, Jacob put the branches in front of them at the drinking troughs, so that they would breed among the branches. International Standard Version Whenever the more vigorous of the flock came into heat, Jacob would place the branches in the troughs in front of the flock to make them mate by the branches. Majority Standard Bible Whenever the stronger females of the flock were in heat, Jacob would place the branches in the troughs, in full view of the animals, so that they would breed in front of the branches. NET Bible When the stronger females were in heat, Jacob would set up the branches in the troughs in front of the flock, so they would mate near the branches. New Heart English Bible It happened, whenever the stronger of the flock were breeding, that Jacob would set up the branches in front of the flock in the troughs, so that they would breed near the branches; Webster's Bible Translation And it came to pass, whenever the stronger cattle conceived, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the cattle in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods. World English Bible Whenever the stronger of the flock conceived, Jacob laid the rods in front of the eyes of the flock in the watering troughs, that they might conceive among the rods; Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd it has come to pass, whenever the strong ones of the flock conceive, that Jacob sets the rods before the eyes of the flock in the gutters, to cause them to conceive by the rods, Young's Literal Translation And it hath come to pass whenever the strong ones of the flock conceive, that Jacob set the rods before the eyes of the flock in the gutters, to cause them to conceive by the rods, Smith's Literal Translation And it was in every one conceiving of the strong sheep, and Jacob put the rods before the eyes of the sheep in the floorings, to conceive among the rods. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleSo when the ewes went first to ram, Jacob put the rods in the roughs of water before the eyes of the rams, and of the ewes, that they might conceive while they were looking upon them: Catholic Public Domain Version Therefore, when the first to arrive were climbing on the ewes, Jacob placed the branches in the troughs of water before the eyes of the rams and the sheep, so that they might conceive while they were gazing upon them. New American Bible Whenever the hardier animals were in heat, Jacob would set the shoots in the troughs in full view of these animals, so that they mated by the shoots; New Revised Standard Version Whenever the stronger of the flock were breeding, Jacob laid the rods in the troughs before the eyes of the flock, that they might breed among the rods, Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd it came to pass, whenever the stronger of the flock did conceive, Jacob laid the rods in front of the sheep in the troughs, that they might conceive by the means of the rods. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And every time that the flock conceived early, Yaquuv laid down a rod before the flock by the running water when they conceived among the rods. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger of the flock did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the flock in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods; Brenton Septuagint Translation And it came to pass in the time wherein the cattle became pregnant, conceiving in the belly, Jacob put the rods before the cattle in the troughs, that they might conceive by the rods. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Jacob Prospers…40Jacob set apart the young, but made the rest face the streaked dark-colored sheep in Laban’s flocks. Then he set his own stock apart and did not put them with Laban’s animals. 41 Whenever the stronger females of the flock were in heat, Jacob would place the branches in the troughs, in full view of the animals, so that they would breed in front of the branches. 42But if the animals were weak, he did not set out the branches. So the weaker animals went to Laban and the stronger ones to Jacob.… Cross References Genesis 31:9-12 Thus God has taken away your father’s livestock and given them to me. / When the flocks were breeding, I saw in a dream that the streaked, spotted, and speckled males were mating with the females. / In that dream the angel of God said to me, ‘Jacob!’ And I replied, ‘Here I am.’ ... Genesis 29:31 When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. Genesis 31:38-42 I have been with you for twenty years now. Your sheep and goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten the rams of your flock. / I did not bring you anything torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for what was stolen by day or night. / As it was, the heat consumed me by day and the frost by night, and sleep fled from my eyes. ... Exodus 12:35-36 Furthermore, the Israelites acted on Moses’ word and asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold, and for clothing. / And the LORD gave the people such favor in the sight of the Egyptians that they granted their request. In this way they plundered the Egyptians. Leviticus 19:19 You are to keep My statutes. You shall not crossbreed two different kinds of livestock; you shall not sow your fields with two kinds of seed; and you shall not wear clothing made of two kinds of material. Deuteronomy 8:18 But remember that it is the LORD your God who gives you the power to gain wealth, in order to confirm His covenant that He swore to your fathers even to this day. Deuteronomy 28:4 The fruit of your womb will be blessed, as well as the produce of your land and the offspring of your livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. 1 Samuel 2:7-8 The LORD sends poverty and wealth; He humbles and He exalts. / He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap. He seats them among princes and bestows on them a throne of honor. For the foundations of the earth are the LORD’s, and upon them He has set the world. 1 Kings 3:13 Moreover, I will give you what you did not request—both riches and honor—so that during all your days no man in any kingdom will be your equal. Job 42:12 So the LORD blessed Job’s latter days more than his first. He owned 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. Psalm 75:6-7 For exaltation comes neither from east nor west, nor out of the desert, / but it is God who judges; He brings down one and exalts another. Proverbs 10:22 The blessing of the LORD enriches, and He adds no sorrow to it. Ecclesiastes 9:11 I saw something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong; neither is the bread to the wise, nor the wealth to the intelligent, nor the favor to the skillful. For time and chance happen to all. Isaiah 60:5-7 Then you will look and be radiant, and your heart will tremble and swell with joy, because the riches of the sea will be brought to you, and the wealth of the nations will come to you. / Caravans of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah, and all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and frankincense and proclaiming the praises of the LORD. / All the flocks of Kedar will be gathered to you; the rams of Nebaioth will serve you and go up on My altar with acceptance; I will adorn My glorious house. Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope. Treasury of Scripture And it came to pass, whenever the stronger cattle did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the cattle in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods. Jump to Previous Ardent Branches Breed Breeding Cattle Conceive Conceived Drinking-Places Eyes Females Flock Gutters Heat Jacob Laid Mate Mating Moreover Ones Rods Runnels Sight Sticks Stronger Troughs Whenever Whensoever YoungJump to Next Ardent Branches Breed Breeding Cattle Conceive Conceived Drinking-Places Eyes Females Flock Gutters Heat Jacob Laid Mate Mating Moreover Ones Rods Runnels Sight Sticks Stronger Troughs Whenever Whensoever YoungGenesis 30 1. Rachel, in grief for her barrenness, gives Bilhah her maid unto Jacob.5. Bilhah bears Dan and Naphtali. 9. Leah gives Zilpah her maid, who bears Gad and Asher. 14. Reuben finds mandrakes, 15. with which Leah buys her husband's company of Rachel. 17. Leah bears Issachar, Zebulun, and Dinah. 22. Rachel bears Joseph. 25. Jacob desires to depart. 27. Laban detains him on a new agreement. 37. Jacob's policy, whereby he becomes rich. Whenever the stronger females of the flock were in heat This phrase highlights Jacob's strategic approach to breeding, focusing on the stronger females to ensure robust offspring. In the ancient Near Eastern context, livestock was a primary measure of wealth and prosperity. Jacob's actions reflect a deep understanding of animal husbandry, which was crucial for survival and economic success. This also demonstrates Jacob's wisdom and resourcefulness, traits that are consistent with his character throughout Genesis. Jacob would place the branches in the troughs in full view of the animals so that they would breed in front of the branches Persons / Places / Events 1. JacobThe grandson of Abraham, son of Isaac, and brother of Esau. Jacob is a central figure in Genesis, known for his cunning and resourcefulness. In this passage, he is tending Laban's flocks and using selective breeding techniques to increase his own wealth. 2. Laban Jacob's uncle and father-in-law, who has employed Jacob to tend his flocks. Laban is often depicted as shrewd and self-serving, which sets the stage for Jacob's own strategic actions. 3. The Flocks The animals under Jacob's care, which are central to the account as they represent both wealth and God's blessing. The passage describes Jacob's method of ensuring that the stronger animals produce offspring that belong to him. 4. Branches Jacob uses peeled branches as part of his strategy to influence the breeding of the flocks. This act is symbolic of Jacob's ingenuity and God's providence in blessing him. 5. Paddan-aram The region where Laban lives and where Jacob has been residing and working. It is significant as the setting for much of Jacob's account, including his marriages and the birth of his children. Teaching Points Divine Providence and Human EffortJacob's actions remind us that while we are called to work diligently and wisely, it is ultimately God who provides and blesses our efforts. God's Faithfulness Despite the challenges and deceit Jacob faced, God remained faithful to His promises. This encourages believers to trust in God's faithfulness in their own lives. Wisdom and Strategy Jacob's use of selective breeding demonstrates the importance of using wisdom and strategy in our endeavors. Believers are encouraged to seek God's wisdom in their decisions. Integrity in Relationships The relationship between Jacob and Laban is complex and fraught with deception. This serves as a reminder of the importance of integrity and honesty in our dealings with others.(41, 42) The stronger cattle . . . when the cattle were feeble.--The words for "strong" and "feeble" are literally bound and covered, so that evidently we have technical terms, which Onkelos and the Syriac explain of the females at the two breeding seasons. The ewes in the spring, after the cold season, are bound, firmly knit together, and the lambs strong and healthy. The other word, covered, seems to mean seeking concealment, hiding away (Job 23:9); and therefore faint, its meaning in Psalm 61:2, Psalms 102, title (Authorised Version, overwhelmed), and Isaiah 57:16 (Authorised Version, fail). The autumn-born lambs are of no great value, and Jacob left them to the course of nature.Verse 41. - And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger cattle did conceive, literally, in every healing of the cattle, the bound ones, i.e. the firm, compact sheep, "the spring flock" (Luther), which, being conceived in spring and dropped in autumn, are supposed to be stronger than those conceived in autumn and dropped in spring; but this is doubtful - that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the cattle in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods. Jacob s third artifice aimed at securing for himself a vigorous breed of sheep. Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Wheneverבְּכָל־ (bə·ḵāl) Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every the stronger females הַמְקֻשָּׁרוֹת֒ (ham·quš·šā·rō·wṯ) Article | Verb - Pual - Participle - feminine plural Strong's 7194: To tie, gird, confine, compact, in love, league of the flock הַצֹּ֣אן (haṣ·ṣōn) Article | Noun - common singular Strong's 6629: Small cattle, sheep and goats, flock were in heat, יַחֵם֮ (ya·ḥêm) Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct Strong's 3179: To be hot, to conceive Jacob יַעֲקֹ֧ב (ya·‘ă·qōḇ) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3290: Jacob -- a son of Isaac, also his desc would place וְשָׂ֨ם (wə·śām) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 7760: Put -- to put, place, set the branches הַמַּקְל֛וֹת (ham·maq·lō·wṯ) Article | Noun - masculine plural Strong's 4731: A shoot, stick in the troughs, בָּרֳהָטִ֑ים (bā·ro·hā·ṭîm) Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural Strong's 7298: A channel, watering-box, ringlet of hair in full view לְעֵינֵ֥י (lə·‘ê·nê) Preposition-l | Noun - cdc Strong's 5869: An eye, a fountain of the animals, הַצֹּ֖אן (haṣ·ṣōn) Article | Noun - common singular Strong's 6629: Small cattle, sheep and goats, flock so they would breed לְיַחְמֵ֖נָּה (lə·yaḥ·mên·nāh) Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | third person feminine singular Strong's 3179: To be hot, to conceive in front of the branches. בַּמַּקְלֽוֹת׃ (bam·maq·lō·wṯ) Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural Strong's 4731: A shoot, stick Links Genesis 30:41 NIVGenesis 30:41 NLT Genesis 30:41 ESV Genesis 30:41 NASB Genesis 30:41 KJV Genesis 30:41 BibleApps.com Genesis 30:41 Biblia Paralela Genesis 30:41 Chinese Bible Genesis 30:41 French Bible Genesis 30:41 Catholic Bible OT Law: Genesis 30:41 It happened whenever the stronger (Gen. 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