Genesis 30:37

Genesis 30:37 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)Jacob, however, took fresh-cut branches from poplar, almond and plane trees and made white stripes on them by peeling the bark and exposing the white inner wood of the branches.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then Jacob took fresh sticks of poplar and almond and plane trees, and peeled white streaks in them, exposing the white of the sticks.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now Jacob took for himself rods of green poplar and of the almond and chestnut trees, peeled white strips in them, and exposed the white which was in the rods.

Context of Genesis 30:37

35But that very day Laban went out and removed the male goats that were streaked and spotted, all the female goats that were speckled and spotted or had white patches, and all the black sheep. He placed them in the care of his own sons, 36who took them a three-days’ journey from where Jacob was. Meanwhile, Jacob stayed and cared for the rest of Laban’s flock. Then Jacob took some fresh branches from poplar, almond, and plane trees and peeled off strips of bark, making white streaks on them. 38Then he placed these peeled branches in the watering troughs where the flocks came to drink, for that was where they mated. 39And when they mated in front of the white-streaked branches, they gave birth to young that were streaked, speckled, and spotted.

Genesis 30:37 word by word

וַיִּֽקַּֽח־ל֣וֹ יַעֲקֹ֗ב מַקַּ֥ל לִבְנֶ֛ה לַ֖ח וְל֣וּז וְעֶרְמ֑וֹן וַיְפַצֵּ֤ל בָּהֵן֙ פְּצָל֣וֹת לְבָנ֔וֹת מַחְשֹׂף֙ הַלָּבָ֔ן אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־הַמַּקְלֽוֹת׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Jacobיַעֲקֹבya‛ăqôb · JacobH3290
• tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• him rodsמַקֵּלmaqqêl maqqelâh · rodH4731
• of greenלַחlach · freshH3892
• poplarלִבְנֶהlibneh · poplarH3839
• and of the hazelלוּזlûz · almondH3869
• and chesnut treeעַרְמוֹן‛armôn · plane treeH6196
• and pilledפָּצַלpâtsal · to peelH6478
• whiteלָבָןlâbân lâbên · whiteH3836
• strakesפִּצְלָהpetsâlâh · stripeH6479
• appearמַחְשֹׂףmachώôph · exposingH4286

Cross-references for Genesis 30:37

• Genesis 31:9In this way, God has taken your father’s animals and given them to me.
• Ezekiel 31:8No other cedar in the garden of God could rival it. No cypress had branches to equal it; no plane tree had boughs to compare. No tree in the garden of God came close to it in beauty.

Commentaries on Genesis 30:37

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 37Rods of green poplar - לח לבנה libneh lach . The libneh is generally understood to mean the white poplar; and the word lach, which is here joined to it, does not so much imply greenness of color as being fresh, in opposition to witheredness. Had they not been fresh - just cut off, he could not have pilled the bark from them. And of the hazel - לוז luz, the nut or filbert tree, translated by others the almond tree; which of the two is here intended is not…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-43Verses 1-43 - Jacob‘s Family and Wealth 6. דן dān Dan, “judge, lord.” 8. נפתלי naptālı̂y Naphtali, “wrestling.” 11. גד gād Gad, “overcoming, victory.” בגד bāgād “in victory or” =גד בא bā' gād “victory cometh.” גוּד gûd “press down.” גדוּד gedûd “troop.” 13. אשׁר 'ǎashēr Asher, “prosperity, happiness.” 18. ישׂשכר yı̂śāskār Jissakar, “reward.” The second Hebrew letter (ש s ) seems to have been merely a full mode of writing the word, instead of…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 25-43Verses 25-43 The fourteen years being gone, Jacob was willing to depart without any provision, except God's promise. But he had in many ways a just claim on Laban's substance, and it was the will of God that he should be provided for from it. He referred his cause to God, rather than agree for stated wages with Laban, whose selfishness was very great. And it would appear that he acted honestly, when none but those of the colours fixed upon should be found…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 37exposing the white inner wood: This clever wordplay explains the entire section. When Jacob exposed the white (Hebrew laban) streaks of wood underneath, he played the "white" game (the Laban game) and won. By outsmarting Laban ("Whitey"), Jacob's flocks increased and he became successful.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3737. Jacob took rods, &c.--There are many varieties of the hazel, some of which are more erect than the common hazel, and it was probably one of these varieties Jacob employed. The styles are of a bright red color, when peeled; and along with them he took wands of other shrubs, which, when stripped of the bark, had white streaks. These, kept constantly before the eyes of the female at the time of gestation, his observation had taught him would have an…Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 30:37

• Animals
• Chestnut Tree
• Contracts
• Covetousness
• Craftiness
• Dishonesty
• Hazel
• Jacob
• Laban
• Poplar
• Sheep
• Son-In-Law
• Worldliness

In the dictionaries

• Jacob
• Jacob, Israel
• Add
• Agate
• Almond
• Chestnut tree
• Coming
• Concubine
• Happy
• Hazel

Commentaries on Genesis 30

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings