Genesis 30:32Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

In earlier times, the Word of God, who rules the universe with His divine goodness, through whom all creation came into existence (John 1:3), allowed humanity to 'walk in their own ways' as stated (Acts 14:16). However, when the Church began to bear a growing and renewed people—those who had experienced spiritual rebirth through faith in Him—He began to seek from the world a kind of reward for His nurturing of it: individuals more inclined to believe, represented by the speckled and ash-colored sheep. What does this signify? In herds of sheep and goats, the uniformly colored individuals are typically favored by shepherds, while the mottled and speckled ones occupy a lesser status. This is because their wool is not uniform; it is varied and mixed in color. Similarly, Christ selects from the world not those who are primarily esteemed and distinguished among men, but those who, although they may experience humiliation, possess a glory distinct from others.

The Apostle Paul also affirms this notion in his letter to believers, stating: 'Not many of you are wise according to the flesh, not many are powerful, not many are of noble birth; but God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong’ (1 Corinthians 1:26-27). If we delve deeper into the meaning of the speckled and ash colors, we could interpret these shades as representing the varied splendor of those in Christ through their actions and words. The dark color may symbolize the mystery surrounding Christ, reflecting a dark and obscure understanding about Him to many. The divine David noted in the Psalms: 'He made darkness His covering, the darkness of the waters around Him, the clouds of the air’ (Psalms 17:12). Here, he compares the unfathomable nature of God’s truths to a misty atmosphere, referring to them as darkness and the deep waters of the clouds above.

Wisdom promises to provide many with a deep understanding of parables and obscure sayings (Sir 39:1-3). Therefore, dark colors may indicate the profound and mysterious doctrines of Christ. Conversely, lightness and clarity in actions and godliness represent purity, symbolized by the color white. The Lord expresses the hope for purification through faith in Christ, as conveyed by the prophet: 'Learn to do good, seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow. Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool' (Isaiah 1:17-18). Thus, for Christ, the Savior of all, those who are chosen and held in higher regard are often those in this world who seem lesser, positioned below others in status yet elevated in glory. They embody a speckled and diverse understanding of God’s teachings, distinguished by their profound knowledge that may elude others while being eminent in their piety. Hence, Jacob's reward consisted of speckled sheep and goats.

I trust in my integrity: God witnesses my humility and diligence.” Laban readily accepted Jacob’s proposal. He complied with Jacob’s wishes by distancing Jacob from his own sons by three days’ journey, ensuring that there could be no deception due to proximity of the livestock. Consequently, Jacob crafted a new scheme, employing his innate cleverness to influence the breeding of the white and black livestock. He peeled sections of bark from branches of poplar, almond, and pomegranate trees (as the Seventy referred to them) to create variegated appearances. Where the bark remained, the original color was intact, and where it was stripped, the white was exposed. Jacob then awaited the time of year when the cattle typically mated; after they had quenched their thirst, he strategically placed these multicolored branches in the drinking troughs. In their great thirst, he arranged for the rams and goats to mate with the ewes and does, enabling conception while they were drinking. The offspring reflected the appearance of the rams and goats seen in the water’s mirror. Notably, due to the branches in the troughs, the colors of their reflections were also diverse. It is well-known that when females conceive, they often give birth to offspring resembling what they behold or envision at the peak of their desire. This phenomenon is similarly observed among the horse herds in Spain. Quintilian, during a legal case involving a respected married woman accused of birthing an Ethiopian child, referenced this very regularity of conception. After the motley offspring were born from the solid-colored flocks alongside those of varied hues, Jacob separated them from the original herd. Any offspring that were of a solid color—either white or black—were entrusted to Laban’s sons. Nevertheless, Jacob continued placing the stripped branches into the troughs where the water flowed. When the livestock came to drink, they would stand before the branches, leading them to conceive precisely at the moment they approached the watering place.