black lamb, and that he will take with him. Jacob says that if any other animals are found with him, they shall be counted as stolen. Laban agrees, but that very day, Laban goes through his flock and takes out all the animals that are to go to Jacob, the spotted, the speckled and the black sheep, and sends them with his sons about 3 days distance away, while Jacob was with the rest of the flock in the pasture. Jacob, intending to cheat a bit of his own accord, took rods of poplar, almond, and plane, and peeled white streaks in them, exposing the white of the rods, and put them around the flocks watering area, where they were believed to breed. It was believed, that the coloring of the young, would be similar to what the parent sheep saw when they bred. So many young were produced that were speckled, striped, or black sheep, which were to go to Jacob. Jacob arranged it so, using the rods, and determining whether strong or weak sheep were breeding, that his new flock would be much stronger and Labans young would be weaker. The family of Laban didnt like that Jacob was getting rich off them, neither did Laban himself. God told Jacob it was time to return home, so Jacob fetched Rachel and Leah, told them he was not welcome at Labans anymore, and showed them the coloring of his flocks, telling them the arrangement he had with Laban, and he told them that it was god who made the flocks striped and speckled and such, and not himself (who it really was). His wives encouraged him to do as god bids, and leave with the advantage he has gotten over Laban. So he set out with all his crew, to go back to his fathers house. Unbeknownst to all, Rachel took her fathers household gods with her when they fled. Laban did not know Jacob had fled, so he chased after him, but god told him not to say any good or bad words to Jacob. Laban caught up to them, and asked why Jacob did this. Jacob admitted he was afraid if he did not flee in secret that he wouldnt b...
