Strakes
What Are Strakes?
The word "strakes" is an older English form of "streaks" that appears in the King James Version of the Bible. Modern translations have replaced it with clearer terms, but understanding this word helps readers navigate older biblical texts and grasp the original meaning of the passages where it occurs.
Jacob's Peeled Rods
The most well-known occurrence of "strakes" is in Genesis 30:37, where Jacob peels white streaks (strakes) in rods of poplar, almond, and plane trees. He placed these striped rods before Laban's flocks at the watering troughs so that the animals would breed while looking at them. The spotted and speckled offspring became Jacob's wages according to his agreement with Laban (Genesis 30:31-43). While Jacob used this method, the text makes clear that it was ultimately God who blessed Jacob and transferred Laban's wealth to him (Genesis 31:9-12).
Identifying Infections in Houses
The second biblical use of "strakes" appears in Leviticus 14:37, where it describes hollow, greenish or reddish depressions in the walls of a house suspected of having a contaminating condition. The priests were to examine these marks as part of the purification laws given to Israel. If the streaks appeared to go deeper than the surface of the wall, the house was to be shut up for seven days and reinspected (Leviticus 14:38-39). This passage is part of the broader Levitical purity regulations that governed Israel's communal health and holiness.
Nautical Usage in Acts
In Acts 27:17, the KJV uses the related word "strake" in the phrase "they strake sail," describing the sailors' actions during the storm that battered the ship carrying Paul to Rome. Modern translations render this as "lowered the gear" or "let down the sea anchor." This dramatic scene depicts the perilous voyage that would ultimately lead to the shipwreck on Malta.
Understanding Archaic Bible Language
Words like "strakes" remind modern readers that Bible translation is an ongoing process. The KJV translators used the common English of their day, but as language evolves, newer translations update terminology to maintain clarity. The underlying Hebrew and Greek words are perfectly clear in their original contexts, and modern versions like the ESV, NIV, and NASB render them in straightforward contemporary English.
Biblical Context
Strakes appears in three biblical contexts: Jacob's livestock breeding strategy in Genesis 30:37, the inspection of contaminated houses in Leviticus 14:37, and the nautical emergency in Acts 27:17. Each usage involves a different Hebrew or Greek term but was rendered with the same archaic English word.
Theological Significance
The passages containing 'strakes' illustrate key theological themes: God's sovereign provision for Jacob despite human scheming (Genesis 30), God's concern for the holiness and health of His people's dwellings (Leviticus 14), and God's providential protection of Paul during his voyage to Rome (Acts 27).
Historical Background
Ancient livestock breeding practices, Levitical purity regulations for buildings, and first-century Mediterranean sailing techniques all provide context for the word's usage. Archaeological evidence of ancient Near Eastern animal husbandry and Roman-era shipbuilding confirms the practical realities described in these passages.