Commentaire sur La Genèse 30:29

ואת אשר היה מקנך אתי AND WHAT THY CATTLE HATH BECOME WITH ME — You know the number of your few cattle that were entrusted to me at first — how small their number was.

AND HOW THY CATTLE HAVE FARED WITH ME. “You know the number of your few cattle that were entrusted to me at first.” These are Rashi’s words. That is to say, “You know how few your cattle were when they were entrusted to me.” But according to Rashi’s interpretation, it would have been more proper had he said, “and your cattle which were with me:” you know for it was little which thou hadst before I came, and it hath increased abundantly.¹⁵⁴Verse 30 here. Or, we shall explain: “Thou knowest how I have served thee since I have done it with all my strength, and thou knowest how thy cattle have fared with me, for a long time has passed since then, and thou knowest for it was little which thou hadst before I came, and it hath increased abundantly, in an unnatural way. It is only The blessing of the Eternal [that] maketh rich,¹⁵⁵Proverbs 10:22. which came from the time I set foot in your house.” This is the correct interpretation.

ויאמר..ואת אשר היה, the meaning of the word מעט in verse 30 is that Lavan was well aware that when Yaakov had come to him he had possessed very little, and that his wealth now was due to Yaakov’s faithful labour on his behalf, and that G’d had increased the amount of livestock he owned now on account of Yaakov.

אתה ידעת את אשר עבדתיך, do not attribute your sudden wealth to the power of your teraphim, i.e. to influences connected with your horoscope, but attribute it to the faithful manner in which I tended your flocks, and to my expertise as well as my dedication in maximising the potential connected with the craft of being an expert shepherd.

The meager amount... I.e., it does not mean that Lavan knew his livestock was with Yaakov, rather that he knew of the livestock’s meager amount.

את אשר עבדתיך, “I have served you for the hand of a woman in marriage, not for “wages.”

ואת אשר היה מקנך אתי, the herds had contained defective animals, maimed ones, etc.; I cured those using my expert knowledge in raising sheep, and cattle.