John Gill Bible Commentary

I will pass through all thy flock today,.... Not alone, but Laban and his sons with him: removing from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle; that is, such as were black and had white spots on them, or were white and had black spots on them; and the "speckled", according to Jarchi and Ben Melech, were such as had small spots on them; and the "spotted" were such as had larger: and all the brown cattle among the sheep; the russet coloured ones, or the "black" (o) ones, as some render it; and so Aben Ezra, and who makes mention of another sort, called "barud", which signifies spotted with white spots like hailstones, but is not to be found in the text here, but in Gen 31:10; and besides coincide with those before described: and the spotted and speckled among the goats: that had larger and lesser spots upon them as the sheep: and of such shall be my hire; not those that were now in the flock, but such as were like them, that should be brought forth for the time to come; which seems to be a strange proposal, and what was not likely to turn out much to the advantage of Jacob; but he knew what he did, and very probably was directed of God, if not in a vision, yet by an impulse on his mind, that such a method would be right, and would succeed; see Gen 31:10. (o) "nigrum", Montanus, Fagius; so R. Sol. Urbin. Ohel Moed, fol. 98. 1.