Genesis 30:38

He put those whittled sticks near the water. As soon as those animals came to the water they saw those sticks. When they came close to the water they used to mate.

Nyangumarta (portions)

In The King James Version

And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink.

In Context

37He broke different kinds of green trees/sticks. He trimmed those various small sticks finely to peel (them) down to the white parts.

39When they mated they looked at those sticks. Then the sheep gave birth to black young, the goats gave birth to spotted and striped young.

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Matthew Henry on Genesis 30:38-43

Jacob's Ingenious Policy. ( b. c. 1745.) 37 And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chesnut tree; and pilled white strakes in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods. 38 And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink. 39 And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle ringstraked, speckled, and spotted. 40 And Jacob did separate… Read the whole commentary →

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Study Genesis 30:38