Genesis 30:41 - Exposition

And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger cattle did conceive, literally, in every healing of the cattle , the bound ones , i . e . the firm, compact sheep, "the spring flock" (Luther), which, being conceived in spring and dropped in autumn, are supposed to be stronger than those conceived in autumn and dropped in spring; but this is doubtful— that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the cattle in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods. Jacob's third artifice aimed at securing for himself a vigorous breed of sheep.