KJV ORIGINAL
This twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
For twenty years I have been with you. Your female sheep and goats have not miscarried their babies, and I have never eaten any of the male sheep from your flock.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
Jacob is defending his honest service by pointing out that he protected Laban's livestock and never took what wasn't his.
📚 Historical Context
This is part of Jacob's speech to his father-in-law Laban as Jacob prepares to leave after twenty years of service. Jacob had worked for Laban to earn his wives Rachel and Leah, and continued serving as a shepherd. In ancient times, shepherds were often blamed when animals miscarried or died, and it was common for shepherds to eat from the flocks they tended.
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