Genesis 30:35

Ringstraked] 'striped.'

35-42. It would appear that Laban, after sorting out Jacob's speckled sheep and goats from his own pure ones, gave the former in charge of his sons to be kept at a distance from his own, thereby hoping to prevent there being any more spotted ones born in his own flock, which he would have to give to Jacob. Jacob meanwhile had to remain and look after Laban's flocks. But Jacob had other plans for increasing his possessions. By the device described in Genesis 30:37 (which he only employed when the stronger ewes were breeding, Genesis 30:41), he brought it about that Laban's pure ewes produced speckled lambs, which he claimed as his own. In addition he arranged to keep these speckled kids and lambs in view of Laban's ewes with the same result (Genesis 30:40), thus gradually acquiring flocks of his own.