### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **machsôph**, represented by `{{H4286}}`, is derived from a root meaning to peel. It is defined as **a peeling; made appear**. This word is exceptionally rare, appearing only **1 time** in **1 unique verse** in the entire Bible, highlighting its very specific application.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The single biblical occurrence of `{{H4286}}` is found in the narrative of Jacob managing Laban's flocks. To influence the herds, Jacob took fresh rods and peeled away parts of the bark to create a pattern. The text states, "And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chesnut tree; and pilled white strakes in them, and **made the white appear** which was in the rods" [[Genesis 30:37]]. Here, `{{H4286}}` describes the result of Jacob's peeling: the exposure of the white inner wood.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words in the immediate context clarify the meaning of `{{H4286}}`:
* `{{H6478}}` **pâtsal** (pill): This is the primitive root verb for the action Jacob performs. It means to peel, and it is the direct cause that results in the "appearing" described by `{{H4286}}` [[Genesis 30:37]].
* `{{H6479}}` **pᵉtsâlâh** (strake): This noun, meaning "a peeling; strake," describes the physical marks or stripes that Jacob made on the rods. The white was made to appear in these strakes [[Genesis 30:37]].
* `{{H3836}}` **lâbân** (white): This word for white describes the color of the wood that was revealed. It is used for the "white strakes" and for the "white" that was made to appear, providing the visual contrast central to the event [[Genesis 30:37]].
### Theological Significance
While not used in a direct theological discourse, the function of `{{H4286}}` in its sole context implies certain principles:
* **Revealing an Inner Reality:** The word's meaning is centered on the act of stripping away an external surface to reveal what lies beneath. In this case, the dark bark of the rods was removed to show the white wood inside.
* **Intentional Action:** The "appearing" is not a passive event but the direct result of a deliberate action—peeling, or `{{H6478}}`. This connects the visual result to a specific purpose within the narrative.
* **Creating a Sign:** Jacob's action of making the white appear served as a visual stimulus for the flocks. The word, therefore, functions within a context of creating a sign intended to produce a specific outcome.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H4286}}` is a precise and descriptive term, exclusively used to denote the uncovering of the white wood of a rod by peeling its bark. Its significance is rooted in its literal, physical meaning within the Genesis narrative. The word powerfully illustrates how the Hebrew language can capture a specific action and its visible result, in this case, the intentional revelation of an underlying substance.
TRV