The Genesis Project
Genesis 30

Gospel for the Sheep and Goats

81 words · September 14, 2025

אֶֽעֱבֹ֨ר בְּכׇל־צֹֽאנְךָ֜ הַיּ֗וֹם הָסֵ֨ר מִשָּׁ֜ם כׇּל־שֶׂ֣ה ׀ נָקֹ֣ד וְטָל֗וּא וְכׇל־שֶׂה־חוּם֙ בַּכְּשָׂבִ֔ים וְטָל֥וּא וְנָקֹ֖ד בָּעִזִּ֑ים וְהָיָ֖ה שְׂכָרִֽי׃

let me pass through your whole flock today, removing from there every speckled and spotted animal—every dark-colored sheep and every spotted and speckled goat. Such shall be my wages.
Genesis 30:32 (The Contemporary Torah, JPS 2006)

I cannot read the story of Jacob choosing the speckled, spotted, and dark-colored animals (both sheep… AND goats!) and not see a Gospel with an ever-widening circle of grace.

Jacob blemished goats gospel impure perfect pure sacrifice sheep

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