4033. ^a 'Those which came together later were Laban's' means that these things were left behind, that is to say, those that were compulsory. 'And those which came together first were Jacob's' means that the spontaneous things - those which were from his freedom - were joined together. This is clear from what has been stated immediately above in 4029, 4032. By the things that were compulsory are meant in this case those that had not been joined together, and were incapable of being joined; and by the things that were spontaneous those that had been joined, and also such as were capable of being joined. The reason why the latter are meant as well is that affections and the essential nature of those affections make spontaneous things what they are. After the good meant by 'Laban and his flock' has served the uses described above it is separated. That separation is dealt with in the next chapter.

Notes