參考版本 AFV  A  Faithful Version 的希臘文 2009版本    

耶和華的事，不謀利沒有版權

25. Then, when Rachel had borne Joseph, it came to pass that Jacob said to Laban, “Send me away so that I may go into my own place and to my country.

26. Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, and let me go, for you know my service which I have done you.”

27. And Laban said to him, “I pray you, if I have found favor in your eyes, stay; for I have learned by experience that the LORD has blessed me because of you.”

28. And he also said, “Name your wages and I will give it.”

29. Jacob said to him, “You know how I have served you, and what your livestock have become with my care;

30. For you had little before I came, and it has now increased to a multitude. And the LORD has blessed you since my coming. But when shall I also provide for my own house?”

31. And he said, “What shall I give you?” And Jacob said, “You shall not give me anything. If you will do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep your flock.

32. I will pass through all the flocks today, taking out all the speckled and spotted sheep, and all of the black sheep among the lambs, and the spotted and the speckled among the goats. And these shall be my wages.

33. And my righteousness shall answer for me in time to come when you come concerning my wages. Every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and black among the sheep, shall be counted as stolen with me.”

34. And Laban said, “Yes, truly let it be according to your word.”

35. And that day Laban secretly took out the he-goats that were striped and spotted, and all the she-goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had white in it, and all the black from among the lambs, and gave them into the hand of his sons.

36. And he set three days’ journey between himself and Jacob. And Jacob fed and cared for the rest of Laban’s flocks.

 (A Faithful Version)

25. 拉結生約瑟後，雅各對拉班提出：讓我離開，回我原來的地方，我的家鄉。

26. 還有我妻子兒女，都是服侍的回報，知道這是為你服務換來，是時候讓我離開。

27. 拉班對他說：我有個請求，若然許可，就留下來。我明白這一切的福氣，是因你而來。

28. 他續說：要什麼回報，儘管說出來，都答應。

29. 雅各對他說：你曉得我是如何去服事，這可以從你家的牲畜變得愈來愈多顯明出來。

30. 我來之前，史量不多，如今是倍增。我到來連帶耶和華都賜福給你。可是想，什麼時候也能有自己的一個家。

31. 拉班說：要什麼，儘管說便是。雅各說：什麼都不要。答應一個條件，就會再牧養你的羊。

32. 條件是：我今日去看所有的羊。羊中有斑紋，毛是黑色的都歸我。將來若公羊或是母羊，有斑紋，算為我的工資。

33. 將來在論及我的工資，你要以公義去看待這事。那是羊群中若是沒有斑紋，或者不是黑毛的，就算是偷來。

34. 拉班高興地說：說得對，依你說的作準。

35. 當日，拉班暗中將羊有群中有班紋的公山、有斑紋的母羊，毛是白的和黑的，都取出交給他的兒子。

36. 拉班與雅各的牧羊區域之間，相隔有三天路程。雅各開始為拉班和自己牧羊。

https://www.timesofisrael.com/biblical-sheep-in-israel-for-first-time-in-millennia/  斑點雅各羊，該品種的成長過程反映了雅各到迦南再到埃及的道路。當猶太人在埃及時, 羊被併入北非羊群。雖然猶太人回到了以色列, 但這隻長著獨特斑點的羊並沒有和他們一起回來。以色列數千年來一直沒有發現這種羊。

這種羊現在第一批運到以色列。羊已經著陸了。經過以色列和加拿大政府三年的高層談判, 119隻羊的血統可以追溯到5000年前中東的傳統綿羊，於2016年11月30日開始抵達以色列。這是第一次 這個品種被稱為雅各羊, 自聖經時代以來, 牠使以色列有了代表性的象徵。

雅各羊出現的各種說法：

The narrative in   Genesis 30:37–39   describes how  Jacob  used peeled branches from poplar, almond, and plane trees to influence the breeding of Laban’s flocks.   The practice involved placing these branches with exposed white wood in the watering troughs where the sheep and goats mated. The text states that the animals bore young that were “streaked, speckled, and spotted.” 

Whether this act “made a change” is interpreted in two primary ways within biblical scholarship and theology:

1. The Supernatural Interpretation

Most traditional interpretations hold that the branches themselves had no natural power to change the genetics of the animals. Instead, the text emphasizes that  God  supernaturally blessed Jacob’s efforts.  The “white streaks” (related to the Hebrew word  laban, meaning “white”) were a symbolic element used by Jacob, but the actual increase in the spotted and speckled animals is attributed to divine intervention rather than folk magic or natural selection. This is supported by later verses (Genesis 31:10–12) where God reveals to Jacob in a dream that He was the one controlling the breeding process. 

2. The Natural/Behavioral Interpretation

Some modern commentators suggest a behavioral or environmental explanation. The theory posits that the visual stimulation of the striped branches may have influenced the mating behavior of the animals during heat, or that Jacob simply selected the strongest animals for breeding while the weaker ones were left to Laban (Genesis 30:41–42). However, the text explicitly notes that Jacob applied this method only when the animals were “stronger,” implying a strategic selection process alongside the visual method. 

Key Details of the Method

• Trees Used: Poplar, almond, and plane (or chestnut/hazel in some translations). 
• Action: Jacob peeled strips of bark to expose the white inner wood, creating high-contrast white streaks. 
• Placement: The branches were placed in the troughs where the flocks drank and mated. 
• Outcome: The resulting offspring were predominantly streaked, speckled, and spotted, which became Jacob’s share, while the solid-colored (black or white) animals remained with Laban. 

In summary, the act did result in a significant change in Jacob’s wealth and flock composition, but the biblical narrative attributes this success to God’s blessing rather than the intrinsic power of the branches.

雅各羊的出現，這極可能是耶和華啟發雅各的智慧，外人不了解，因為雅各信耶和華，耶和華是導致神蹟出現的唯一可能，這是不容置疑。只是，什麼方式是耶和華的主導作用？雅各就在夢中得著天梯的啟示，成了以色列立國的信念，從那時直到今日。

雅各和拉結是同一類進取之人。利亞不是，是不主動爭取之人。這二類別人都可以與耶華建立起關係，他們與耶和華互動的方式不同，前者，耶和華等他們主動要度，後者耶和華主動的參與。耶和華給人自由之餘，祂會主動也會等候，看是什麼類別，向外或是內向而定。

耶和華為何認許雅各這個人？不是他的作為，那是求生存，利己不害人。華人的道德標準高，卻因為有作虛弄假，特別是領袖，有這等空間，一般人沒有。信仰不用人間定的道德，好人壞人在乎一心如何選擇。人可以騙人，卻無從騙那創造者。有信仰的人可以按自己心意去爭取，是他的自由，耶和華也不主動而矣。

世界按心理學分界只有二類人，外向和內向，都無乎行為，在乎內裡一顆心。前者耶和華不主動，後者耶和華在需要時直接參與。這是耶和華的公義所在，無分彼此，不在乎是否順服，只在乎相信沒有。有斑點的羊終有日回歸，能體會這點，可以多多分享。