Bible Study Online Article

In the last article, we learned that Laban had presented Jacob with another proposal. Jacob would counter that proposal, by first reminding his father-in-law about all that he has done for him for the past fourteen years:

"You know how I have worked for you and how your livestock have fared under my care. The little you had before I came has increase greatly, and the Lord has blessed you wherever I have been. But now, when may I do something for my own household?"

There was no way Laban could deny any of what Jacob had just stated.

Actually, it was for the very same reasons that he wanted to keep Jacob around.

And now that Laban had officially acknowledged what Jacob had done for him, this would pave the way for Jacob's counter-proposal:

"Don't give me anything, but if you will do this one thing for me, I will go on managing your flocks. 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, and my honesty will testify for me in the future, whenever you checked on the wages that you have paid me. Any goat in my possession that is not speckled or spotted, or any lamb that is not dark-colored, will be considered stolen." -- Genesis 30:31-33

After hearing this proposal that was put forth by Jacob - Laban would immediately accept Jacob's terms. Being that Laban knew that the "speckled and spotted" were in few numbers, in fact a rarity. And given the history when it came to the birth results from his current flock, Laban knew that they were known to produce primarily solid color goats and lambs, instead of the "spotted and specked" ones -- when it came to their young.

So basically, Laban saw this as a win-win business opportunity for him. For he knew that not only would he get Jacob to manage his flocks for a few more years, but he would also get his expert services for next to nothing. And after agreeing to Jacob's proposal, Laban would go out and immediately separate the flocks that were solid in color, and set them apart from the ones that were "spotted and speckle". Now after Laban had done this, we'd find him next, placing a three day journey between his solid colored flocks, and Jacob's newly acquired "spotted and speckled" colored flocks.

Now we find that after Jacob had been left alone to do his work when it came to the tending of his newly acquired "spotted and speckled" flock, we find that Jacob had gathered some fresh-cut branches from some popular nearby almond and plane trees. He would then turn the branches into white stripes by peeling back the bark and exposing the white inner wood of the branches.

Then he placed the peeled branches in all the watering troughs, so that they would be directly in front of the flocks when they came to drink. This was done, so that when the flocks had came before the watering troughs to drink - they would end up mating in front of the branches. And because of this, they bore young that were streaked, spotted or speckled.

Now keep in mind that Jacob was born and came from the land of Canaan. Know that the shepherd Canaanites were known as, "Nekohim" which means (speckled). I point this out, because over in Canaan the shepherds preferred their flocks to be "speckled or spotted", and this was in fact, their forte (strong point).

So basically, the preference of color and the "herding techniques" that we find Jacob using, could've been learnt from that part of the country, from whence he came. I state all of this, so that you may know that Jacob was a master when it came to tending flocks. He was not only an expert at his trade, but he was hard-working as well. This simply made him very industrious and ingenious at what he did.

Next, Jacob would place the "spotted and speckled" ahead of the solid colored flock, when he drove them across the terrain. This was done to somehow mentally prepare the females that were solid in color to give birth to "spotted and speckled" young, instead of young that was solid in color. Yeah I know - didn't I tell you that Jacob was methodical, when it came to his craft.

However, Jacob wouldn't stop there. For we find that he would further separate the flocks... by making one group specifically for him and the other group would be specifically for Laban. It would be at this time, that we'd discovered that Jacob would allow only the strong females that were in heat, to mate and give birth. And the weak females, he would not let them mate and he placed them into the flock that belonged to Laban.

So basically when it was all said and done, Jacob had grown exceedingly prosperous and his household increased, along with maidservants and menservants. The Sacred Scriptures also reveals, that Jacob came to own large flocks of his own - along with donkeys and camels as well.

After learning of Jacob's new found wealth and strength in numbers, how will Laban respond? It would seem that Jacob had made out far better in the deal, than Laban had anticipated.

The Introduction of Abraham

The Birth of Isaac

The Birth of Esau & Jacob

**YOUR CURRENT BIBLE STUDY ONLINE SERIES WOULD BE HERE**

Jacob - Wrestles with God

Joseph the Favorite Son

Joseph the Overseer of Egypt

The Unveiling of Joseph

42) Esau - Heart of Vengeance

43) Jacob - The Path of Uncertainty

44) Jacob - The Stone Pillow Dream

45) Rachel the Shepherdess

46) Jacob - The Love Season of Reaping

47) Leah Gains Favor with God

48) Bilhah the Child Bearer

49) Zilpah the Child Bearer

50) The Mandrake Plant of Love

51) The Birth of Joseph

52) Spotted & Speckled

53) <-CURRENT BIBLE STUDY ONLINE PAGE->

54) Jacob the Prosperous

55) Jacob Departs from Laban