Genesis 30:38

30:38 Then he set up the peeled branches in all the watering troughs where the flocks came to drink. He set up the branches in front of the flocks when they were in heat and came to drink. ¹ 

Genesis 24:22

24:22 After the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a beka ²  and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels ³  and gave them to her. ⁴ 

[30:38]  ¹ sn He put the branches in front of the flocks…when they came to drink. It was generally believed that placing such “visual aids” before the animals as they were mating, it was possible to influence the appearance of their offspring. E. A. Speiser notes that “Jacob finds a way to outwit his father-in-law, through prenatal conditioning of the flock by visual aids – in conformance with universal folk beliefs” (Genesis [AB], 238). Nevertheless, in spite of Jacob’s efforts at animal husbandry, he still attributes the resulting success to God (see 31:5).

[24:22]  ² sn A beka weighed about 5-6 grams (0.2 ounce).

[24:22]  ³ sn A shekel weighed about 11.5 grams (0.4 ounce) although weights varied locally, so these bracelets weighed about 4 ounces (115 grams).

[24:22]  ⁴ tn The words “and gave them to her” are not in the Hebrew text, but are implied.