Genesis 31:43-55

Genesis 31:43-55

[43] And Laban  answered  and said  unto Jacob,  These daughters  and these children  and these cattle  and all that thou seest  is mine: and what can I do  this day  unto these my daughters,  or  unto their children  which they have born?  [44] let us make  a covenant,  I and thou; and let it be for a witness  [45] And Jacob  took  a stone,  and set it up  for a pillar.  [46] And Jacob  said  unto his brethren,  Gather  stones;  and they took  stones,  and made  an heap:  and they did eat  there upon the heap.  [47] And Laban  called  it Jegarsahadutha:  but Jacob  called  it Galeed.  [48] And Laban  said,  This heap  is a witness  between me and thee this day.  Therefore was the name  of it called  Galeed;  [49] And Mizpah;  for  he said,  The LORD  watch  between me and thee, when we are absent  from another.  [50] If thou shalt afflict  my daughters,  or if thou shalt take  other wives  beside  my daughters,  no man  is with us; see,  God  is witness  [51] And Laban  said  to Jacob,  Behold this heap,  and behold this pillar,  which I have cast  [52] This heap  be witness,  and this pillar  be witness,  that I will not pass over  this heap  to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over  this heap  and this pillar  unto me, for harm.  [53] The God  of Abraham,  and the God  of Nahor,  the God  of their father,  judge  betwixt us. And Jacob  sware  by the fear  of his father  Isaac.  [54] Then Jacob  offered  sacrifice  upon the mount,  and called  his brethren  to eat  bread:  and they did eat  bread,  and tarried all night  in the mount.  [55] in the morning  Laban  rose up,  and kissed  his sons  and his daughters,  and blessed  them: and Laban  and returned  unto his place. 

What does Genesis 31:43-55 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Jacob and Laban made a parity covenant, set up a stone pillar (Heb. misbah, standing stone) to mark the spot, and ate a meal together as part of the rite involved in establishing a covenant ( Genesis 31:44-48). They may have erected the heap of stones (Heb. gal, cairn, Genesis 31:46) both as a table for the meal and as a memorial of the event. Standing stones sometimes marked supposed dwelling places of the gods (cf. Genesis 28:17-18), and cairns often marked graves (cf. Joshua 7:26; Joshua 8:29; 2 Samuel 18:17).
Galeed ("witness heap," Genesis 31:47) is the name from which Gilead came. Gilead became a common name for this mountainous area east of the Jordan River between the Sea of Galilee (Cinnereth, Hebrew for "lyre" denoting the shape of the lake) and the Dead (Salt) Sea (cf. Genesis 31:21; Genesis 31:23; Genesis 31:25).
The Song of Solomon -called "Mizpah [1] blessing" was not really a promise between friends but a warning between antagonists who did not trust each other ( Genesis 31:49). They called on God to keep each other true to the terms of the covenant they had just made. They could not check on each other themselves.
"This covenant also might be called a nonaggression pact." [2]
"It is impossible to avoid noticing the curious misconception of the term "mizpah" which characterizes its use today. As used for a motto on rings, Christmas cards, and even as the title of an organization, it is interpreted to mean union, trust, fellowship; while its original meaning was that of separation, distrust, and warning. Two men, neither of whom trusted the other, said in effect: "I cannot trust you out of my sight. The Lord must be the watchman between us if we and our goods are to be kept safe from each other."" [3]
Laban had two deities in mind when he said "The God of Abraham and the god of Nahor" ( Genesis 31:53), as the Hebrew plural verb translated "judge" indicates. Jacob swore by the "Awesome One of Isaac," which indicates that he was worshipping the God of his fathers. Laban also swore by the pagan god his fathers worshipped.
Those who are obediently following God"s call and are experiencing His blessing can be confident that He will protect them.