Genesis 30:37 - Meaning and Application

Here is Jacob’s honest way of making his bargain work more in his favor than it seemed to at first. If he had not found some way to help himself, it would have been a very bad deal, and he knew Laban would never think of his interests, or would even be glad to see him lose. Laban cared for no one’s good but his own.

Jacob’s plans were these. First, he set peeled sticks before the cattle when they came to drink, so that by looking at these unusual striped sticks, they might, as it were, bring forth young that were striped too (Genesis 30:37-39). This custom was probably common among the shepherds of Canaan, who wanted cattle of this mixed color. It is good for a man to know his work well, whatever his trade is, and to be not only hard-working but skilled and wise in it. He should understand all the lawful ways and methods of his calling, for what is a man but his trade? God gives the farmer wisdom for his work, plain though it is, and he should learn that wisdom (Isaiah 28:26).

Then, when Jacob began to have a flock of streaked and brown animals, he placed those first and turned the faces of the rest toward them, with the same purpose as before. But he did not do this with the solid-colored animals that belonged to him (Genesis 30:40). It seems that strong impressions are made through the eye, so we should guard what we look at.

When Jacob saw that his plan was working, through God’s special blessing on it, he used it only with the stronger animals. In this way he kept the better cattle for himself and left the weaker ones for Laban (Genesis 30:41-42). So Jacob increased greatly (Genesis 30:43) and became very rich in a short time.

This success did not prove his method was right if anything unfair or dishonest had been in it, but we are sure there was nothing wrong in what he did, because he later acted by God’s direction (Genesis 31:12). In itself, it was only the honest use of a fair bargain, which God wonderfully prospered. He did this partly to give Jacob justice, since Laban had cheated him and treated him harshly, and partly to carry out the promises of God’s favor.

Those who begin with little, but remain humble, honest, content, and hard-working, are on the way to see their end greatly increase. Whoever is faithful in a little will be trusted with more. Whoever is faithful in what belongs to another person will be given something of his own. Jacob, once a faithful servant, became a rich master.