How Jacob's Flocks Grew to 120 Myriads and 309 Sheepdogs

"And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, Jacob has taken all that was our father's" (Genesis 31:1). What is the meaning of "Jacob has taken"? Rabbi Hoshaya said that the ministering angels became shoulder-bearers for Jacob. "Jacob has taken all that was our father's, and from what was our father's he acquired all this honor (kavod)." What is the honor? Rabbi Simon said: from silver and gold. But did Laban have silver and gold? He had nothing but flocks. Why then does it say silver and gold? Rather, the flocks of our father Jacob were different from the flocks of Laban. It is not written here "and he had much cattle," but rather "and he had abundant flocks" (Genesis 30:43), for they were fruitful and multiplied. And the nations of the world would come and give Jacob silver and gold in order to take some of his flocks from him. Rabbi Simon said: there is no honor (kavod) but silver and gold, as it is said, "Plunder silver, plunder gold" (Nahum 2:10). And how many flocks did he have? Rabbi Tanhuma bar Abba said: he had a hundred and twenty myriads, as it is said, "And the man increased exceedingly, exceedingly" (Genesis 30:43); and it is said of Egypt "exceedingly": "And the people multiplied and grew exceedingly mighty" (Exodus 1:20), [and they were sixty myriads, and here it says "exceedingly, exceedingly" — behold, a hundred and twenty myriads]. And how many sheepdogs did he have? Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: three hundred and nine. Rabbi Tanhuma said: from where? Q (100), B (2), Z (7), R (200) — behold, the reckoning. "And the man increased exceedingly" (Genesis 30:43) — what is the meaning of "and he broke forth" (vayifrotz)? That the Holy One, blessed be He, broke through (paratz) for him the wall of the world, and said to him: thus do I break through for your children's children in the world to come, as it is said, "The one who breaks through goes up before them" (Micah 2:13).