And he set the rods which he had peeled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink.
38. over against ] Jacob places the white peeled rods in front of the flocks, when they come to drink at the breeding season. It was the popular belief that such objects, being presented to the eye at such a season, would be likely to affect the colouring of the progeny.
gutters ] This word is explained by the phrase following, “watering troughs”; cf. Exo 2:16.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 38. And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks] It has long been an opinion that whatever makes a strong impression on the mind of a female in the time of conception and gestation, will have a corresponding influence on the mind or body of the fetus. This opinion is not yet rationally accounted for. It is not necessary to look for a miracle here; for though the fact has not been accounted for, it is nevertheless sufficiently plain that the effect does not exceed the powers of nature; and I have no doubt that the same modes of trial used by Jacob would produce the same results in similar cases. The finger of God works in nature myriads of ways unknown to us; we see effects without end, of which no rational cause can be assigned; it has pleased God to work thus and thus, and this is all that we know; and God mercifully hides the operations of his power from man in a variety of eases, that he may hide pride from him. Even with the little we know, how apt are we to be puffed up! We must adore God in a reverential silence on such subjects as these, confess our ignorance, and acknowledge that nature is the instrument by which he chooses to work, and that he performs all things according to the counsel of his own will, which is always infinitely wise and infinitely good.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
When by their refreshment and meeting together, they were most likely to generate and conceive.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
38. watering troughsusually along stone block hollowed out, from which several sheep could drinkat once, but sometimes so small as to admit of only one drinking at atime.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks,…. Opposite them, in the view of them:
in the gutters in the watering troughs, when the flocks came to drink; that is, in places of water, where troughs or vessels were made, into which the water ran convenient for the cattle to drink out of; and here he placed his party coloured rods right over against the flocks:
that they should conceive when they came to drink; as it was most likely they should when they were together at the water, and had refreshed themselves with it; and being “heated” q, as the word signifies, with a desire of copulation, might conceive in sight of the above rods; which were set to move upon their imagination at the time of their conception, in order to produce cattle of different colours; to which no doubt he was directed of God, and it had, through his blessing, the wished for success, as follows:
q “incalescebant”, Montanus, Vatablus, Drusius; “ut incalescerent”, Junius & Tremellius.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(38) In the gutters . . . Heb., in the troughs at the watering-places. So virtually all the versions; and see Exo. 2:16, where the word rendered here gutters is rightly translated troughs. The idea that there were gutters through which to pour the water into the troughs is utterly modern, but all travellers describe the fixed troughs put for the convenience of the cattle round the wells.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Gen 30:38 And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink.
Ver. 38. And he set the rods which he had pilled. ] This was done, partly by the force of the fantasy, which is much affected with objects of the sight; or some other cogitation in the time of conception: partly and chiefly by the blessing of God: for, he that shall now try the same conclusion, shall find himself frustrated.