30:25-28
All the child bearing seems to have finished, at least for now, and we turn to other matters. Jacob’s stay with Laban was always meant to be a temporary measure, but has now gone on for many years. However, leaving Laban would be no simple matter. Jacob asks to leave, for he has now paid the bride price for his two wives. Laban wants to keep Jacob, he has learnt by divination that God blesses Jacob, so he wants to share in that blessing. We are not told what method of divination was used, and the Law would forbid such practises. So Laban asks Jacob to name his wages.
30:29-36
What we now see is the battle of the tricksters. It seems that Laban’s fortunes had indeed improved markedly since Jacob started working for him. Jacob seems to sense the chance to make a killing (financially). So instead of naming a price, he asks for the speckled and spotted sheep and goats. Laban seems very pleased with this suggestion, for he too will seek to manipulate things. So he separates out the speckled and spotted animals and puts his own men in charge of them.
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