Lexical Summary machsoph: Exposure, bareness Original Word: מַחְשׂף Strong's Exhaustive Concordance peeling, made appear From chasaph; a peeling -- made appear. see HEBREW chasaph NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(3624); from chasaph Definition a laying bare, stripping NASB Translation exposing (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs מַחְשׂף noun masculine a laying bare, stripping — only construct מַחְשׂף הַלָּבָן Genesis 30:37 (J) a stripping of the white, i.e. so as to shew wood under the bark. Topical Lexicon Occurrence and Setting The noun מַחְשׂף appears once, in Genesis 30:37, describing the “fresh branches” or “rods” Jacob selects in his stratagem to breed speckled and spotted livestock. The term functions within a pastoral context, highlighting both the material culture of the patriarchal period and Jacob’s reliance on ordinary, observable means while trusting the extraordinary providence of God. Botanical and Material Culture The passage unites three species—poplar, almond, and plane—whose rods are modified by peeling. By naming the implements rather than the action, Scripture directs attention to tangible resources available to a shepherd in the hill country of Canaan and Aram. The rods served at least three purposes: Ancient Near-Eastern texts attest to similar agricultural practices, yet Genesis presents them within a moral and theological framework unavailable elsewhere. Role in the Patriarchal Narrative Jacob’s use of the rods turns the tide of Laban’s exploitation. While Jacob applies shepherding knowledge, Moses leaves no doubt that it is the Lord who prospers him: “God has taken away your father’s livestock and has given them to me” (Genesis 31:9). The lone occurrence of מַחְשׂף, therefore, anchors a lesson on divine sovereignty working through human means. Themes of Appearance and Reality Peeling exposes the hidden white layer beneath the bark, mirroring the narrative theme of reversal. Jacob, once deceiver (Genesis 27), becomes the victim of deception (Genesis 29:25) and finally the beneficiary of God’s righteous compensation. The stripped rods become a visual parable: the outward surface is removed, revealing what lies beneath, just as God exposes Laban’s duplicity and vindicates Jacob. Providence and Ethical Reflection The episode balances human responsibility and divine action: 1. Jacob exercises diligence and skill. The text neither endorses superstition nor mere naturalism; rather, it celebrates providence that employs ordinary means to accomplish covenant promises (Genesis 28:13–15). Ministry Applications • Stewardship: Believers are encouraged to use available resources creatively while acknowledging that increase comes from the Lord (1 Corinthians 3:7). Intertextual Connections • The rod motif recurs in Exodus 4:2 and Numbers 17:8, where a staff becomes the instrument of divine authentication. Summary מַחְשׂף, though occurring only once, enriches the Genesis narrative by spotlighting the commonplace rod as the medium through which God overturns injustice, fulfills covenantal promise, and models the partnership of human effort and divine sovereignty—an enduring lesson for faith and practice. Forms and Transliterations מַחְשֹׂף֙ מחשף machSof maḥ·śōp̄ maḥśōp̄Links Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 30:37 HEB: פְּצָל֣וֹת לְבָנ֔וֹת מַחְשֹׂף֙ הַלָּבָ֔ן אֲשֶׁ֖ר NAS: stripes in them, exposing the white KJV: in them, and made the white appear which [was] in the rods. INT: stripes white exposing the white which 1 Occurrence |
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