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39 When the sheep mated[a] in front of the branches, they[b] gave birth to young that were streaked or speckled or spotted. 40 Jacob removed these lambs, but he made the rest of the flock face[c] the streaked and completely dark-colored animals in Laban’s flock. So he made separate flocks for himself and did not mix them with Laban’s flocks. 41 When the stronger females were in heat,[d] Jacob would set up the branches in the troughs in front of the flock, so they would mate near the branches.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 30:39 tn The Hebrew verb used here can mean “to be in heat” (see v. 38) or “to mate; to conceive; to become pregnant.” The latter nuance makes better sense in this verse, for the next clause describes them giving birth.
  2. Genesis 30:39 tn Heb “the sheep.” The noun has been replaced by the pronoun (“they”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  3. Genesis 30:40 tn Heb “and he set the faces of.”
  4. Genesis 30:41 tn Heb “and at every breeding-heat of the flock, the strong females.”