When the sheep mated<n id="1" /> in front of the branches, they<n id="2" /> gave birth to young that were streaked or speckled or spotted.

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.<n id="1" />

When the stronger females were in heat,<n id="1" /> Jacob would set up the branches in the troughs in front of the flock, so they would mate near the branches.

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;Once<n id="1" /> during breeding season I saw<n id="2" /> in a dream that the male goats mating with<n id="3" /> the flock were streaked, speckled, and spotted.

Then Abraham set seven ewe lambs apart from the flock by themselves.

&#8220;Is he well?&#8221;<n id="1" /> Jacob asked. They replied, &#8220;He is well.<n id="2" /> Now look, here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep.&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">While he was still speaking with them, Rachel arrived with her father&#8217;s sheep, for she was tending them.<n id="1" />

But if the animals were weaker, he did not set the branches there.<n id="1" /> So the weaker animals ended up belonging to Laban<n id="2" /> and the stronger animals to Jacob.

If he said,<n id="1" /> &#8216;The speckled animals<n id="2" /> will be your wage,&#8217; then the entire flock gave birth to speckled offspring. But if he said, &#8216;The streaked animals will be your wage,&#8217; then the entire flock gave birth to streaked offspring.

Go to the flock and get me two of the best young goats. I&#8217;ll prepare<n id="1" /> them in a tasty way for your father, just the way he loves them.

Then Jacob<n id="1" /> said, &#8220;Since it is still the middle of the day,<n id="2" /> it is not time for the flocks to be gathered. You should water the sheep and then go and let them graze some more.&#8221;<n id="3" />

&#8220;We can&#8217;t,&#8221; they said, &#8220;until all the flocks are gathered and the stone is rolled off the mouth of the well. Then we water<n id="1" /> the sheep.&#8221;p>

Jacob was very afraid and upset. So he divided the people who were with him into two camps, as well as the flocks, herds, and camels.

But Jacob<n id="1" /> said to him, &#8220;My lord knows that the children are young,<n id="2" /> and that I have to look after the sheep and cattle that are nursing their young.<n id="3" /> If they are driven too hard for even a single day, all the animals will die.

So Jacob<n id="1" /> said to him, &#8220;Go now and check on<n id="2" /> the welfare<n id="3" /> of your brothers and of the flocks, and bring me word.&#8221; So Jacob<n id="4" /> sent him from the valley of Hebron.p>

He replied, &#8220;I&#8217;ll send you a young goat from the flock.&#8221; She asked, &#8220;Will you give me a pledge until you send it?&#8221;<n id="1" />

When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds<n id="1" /> would roll the stone off the mouth of the well and water the sheep. Then they would put the stone back in its place over the well&#8217;s mouth.p>

Jacob removed these lambs, but he made the rest of the flock face<n id="1" /> the streaked and completely dark-colored animals in Laban&#8217;s flock. So he made separate flocks for himself and did not mix them with Laban&#8217;s flocks.

Then he said, &#8216;Observe<n id="1" /> that all the male goats mating with<n id="2" /> the flock are streaked, speckled, or spotted, for I have observed all that Laban has done to you.

So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them food in exchange for their horses, the livestock of their flocks and herds, and their donkeys.<n id="1" /> He got them through that year by giving them food in exchange for livestock.p>