Page:A critical and exegetical commentary on Genesis (1910).djvu/495

 count reads: And he placed the rods which he had peeled in the runnels in front of the flock, and they bred when they came to drink And the flock brought forth streaked, speckled, and spotted (young).

The physiological law involved is said to be well established (Dri.), and was acted on by ancient cattle breeders (see the list of authorities in Bochart, Hieroz. ii. c. 49; and cf. Jer. Quæst. ad loc.). The full representation seems to be that the ewes saw the reflexion of the rams in the water, blended with the image of the parti-coloured rods, and were deceived into thinking they were coupled with parti-coloured males (Jer., We. Comp.$2$ 41).

40. And (these) lambs Jacob set apart and made separate flocks for himself and did not add them to Laban's stock (We.).—41, 42. A further refinement: Jacob employed his device only in the case of the sturdy animals, letting the weakly ones gender freely. The difference corresponds to a difference of breeding-time (v.i.). The consequence is that Jacob's stock is hardy and Laban's delicate.

XXXI. 1-XXXII. 1.—Jacob's Flight from Laban: their friendly Parting (J, E).

Jacob perceives from the altered demeanour of Laban and his sons that he has outstayed his welcome ($1. 2$); and, after consultation with his wives, resolves on a secret flight ($3-21$). Laban pursues, and overtakes him at Mt. Gilead ($22-25$), where, after a fierce altercation ($26-43$), they enter into a treaty

to, rendering thus ($38b$) [] ($39$) .—] On the unusual pref. of 3 f. pl., see G-K. § 47 k.—39a is a doublet to the last three words of $38$.—] ib. § 69 f; [E] .—40. 'He set the faces of the flock towards a (sic) streaked and every dark one in Laban's flock,' is an imperfect text, and an impossible statement in J, where Laban's cattle are three days distant. G vainly tries to make sense by omitting, and rendering = , and  = (!) .—41. ] GST$O$ supply .—42., ] G ; but Σ. (paraphrasing), and similarly Aq. VST$O$. It is the fact that the stronger sheep conceived in summer and yeaned in winter, while the weaker conceived in autumn and yeaned in the spring: Pliny, HN, viii. 187 ('postea concepti invalidi').