Commentary on Genesis John Calvin (continued)
COMMENTARY ON GENESIS
39. And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle ringstraked, speckled, and spotted.
39. Et coibant pecudes prope virgas, et pariebant pecudes foetus lineis distinctos, et punctis parvis respersos, et maculis latis respersos.
40. And Jacob did separate the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the ringstraked, and all the brown in the flock of Laban; and he put his own flocks by themselves, and put them not unto Laban's cattle.
40. Et oves separavit Iahacob, et posuit facies pecudum ad foetus lineis distinctos,: et omne rufum in pecudibus erat Laban: et posuit sibi greges seorsum, et non posuit eos juxta pecudes Laban.
41. And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger cattle did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the cattle in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods.
41. Fuit autem, in omni coitu pecudum primitivarum, ponebat Iahacob virgas in oculis pecudum in canalibus, ut coirent ad virgas.
42. But when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in: so the feebler were Laban's, and the stronger Jacob's.
42. Ad serotinos vero coitus pecudum non ponebat: et erant serotina ipsius Laban: primitiva autem ipsius Iahacob.
43. And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses.
43. Crevit vir ergo supra modum: fueruntque ei pecudes multae, et ancillae, et servi, et cameli, et asini.
1. And when Rachel saw. Here Moses begins to relate that Jacob was distracted with domestic strifes. But although the Lord was punishing him, because he had been guilty of no light sin in marrying two wives, and especially sisters; yet the chastisement was paternal; and God himself, seeing that he is wont mercifully to pardon his own people, restrained in some degree his hand. Whence also it happened, that Jacob did not immediately repent, but added new offenses to the former. But first we must speak of Rachel. Whereas she rejoiced to see her sister subjected to contempt and grief, the Lord represses this sinful joy, by giving his blessing to Leah, in