Genesis 30:34 Commentary and Bible Study

Because of the rarity of these markings, Laban likes Jacob’s suggestion and quickly agrees to it. If Jacob was asking for the animals which had the least common markings, that was fine by Laban. There is little danger in his mind, of Jacob acquiring much of his flock. This plan which Jacob has suggested is of the Lord, and Laban is going to be trapped by divine skill which is greater than his. ‘He taketh the wise in their own craftiness’ (1 Corinthians 3:19). ‘With the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward’ (Psalm 18:26). However, even though Laban thinks his flocks and herds are safe from Jacob’s hands, to make double sure, he cheats anyway. He gets his burly sons to purge the flock and take away the marked animals so that the counter will be reset, and Jacob will start with nothing. They go through the animals and remove all ringstraked and spotted to prevent them producing further offspring like themselves. He instructs his sons to take them three days journey from the rest of the flock so that there is no danger of them breeding with the rest of the animals. Jacob is never going to get any of his livestock if Laban can help it, but he congratulates himself that he has acquired his son-in-law’s labour for a further period in spite of this. Jacob it seems is not unaware of this deception, but it is not going to alter the outcome as God has assured him.