4028. Verses 41, 42 And so it was, whenever those came on heat - those of the flock which came together first - that Jacob put the rods before the eyes of the flock in the runners, so that they could come on heat at the rods. And before [the eyes of those of] the flock which came together later he did not put [the rods] in. And those which came together later were Laban's, and those which came together first were Jacob's.
'So it was, whenever those came on heat - those of the flock which came together first' means the things that were spontaneous. 'That Jacob put the rods before the eyes of the flock in the runners, so that they would come on heat at the rods' means summoned and joined together by His own power. 'And before [the eyes of those of] the flock which came together later he did not put [the rods] in' means things that are compulsory. 'Those which came together later were Laban's' means that these things were left behind. 'And those which came together first were Jacob's' means that the spontaneous things - or those which were from his freedom - were joined together.
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