Genesis 31:43-55
Lexham English Bible
43 Then Laban answered and said to Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters and the grandsons[a] are my grandsons,[b] and the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see, it is mine. Now, what can I do for these my daughters today, or for their children whom they have borne? 44 So now, come, let us make[c] a covenant, you and I, and let it be a witness between me and you.” 45 And Jacob took a stone and set it up as a stone pillar. 46 And Jacob said to his kinsmen, “Gather stones.” And they took stones and made a pile of stones, and they ate there by the pile of stones. 47 And Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha,[d] but Jacob called it Galeed.[e] 48 Then Laban said, “This pile of stones is a witness between me and you today.” Therefore its name is called Galeed,[f] 49 and Mizpah,[g] because he said, “Yahweh watch between me and you when we are out of sight of each other.[h] 50 If you mistreat my daughters, and if you take wives besides my daughters, when there is no man with us, see—God is a witness between me and you.” 51 And Laban said to Jacob, “See, this pile of stones, and see the pillar that I have set up between me and you. 52 This pile of stones is a witness, and the pillar is a witness, that I will not pass beyond this pile of stones to you, and that you will not pass beyond this pile of stones and this pillar to me intending harm. 53 May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father[i] judge between us.” Then Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac. 54 And Jacob sacrificed a sacrifice on the hill, and he called his kinsmen to eat the meal.[j] And they ate the meal[k] and spent the night on the hill. 55 [l] And Laban arose early in the morning and kissed his grandsons[m] and his daughters, and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned to his homeland.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Genesis 31:43 Or “sons”
- Genesis 31:43 Or “sons”
- Genesis 31:44 Literally “cut”
- Genesis 31:47 Aramaic for “the heap of witness”
- Genesis 31:47 Hebrew for “the heap of witness”
- Genesis 31:48 Hebrew for “the heap of witness”
- Genesis 31:49 Hebrew for “watchpost”
- Genesis 31:49 Literally “each from his neighbor is concealed”
- Genesis 31:53 That is, Terah
- Genesis 31:54 Or “food, bread”
- Genesis 31:54 Or “food, bread”
- Genesis 31:55 Genesis 31:55–32:32 in the English Bible is 32:1–33 in the Hebrew Bible
- Genesis 31:55 Or “sons”
Genesis 31:43-55
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Laban and Jacob Make a Covenant
43 Then Laban answered and said to Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine. But what can I do today about these daughters of mine or about their children whom they have borne? 44 Come now, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it be a witness between you and me.”(A) 45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar.(B) 46 And Jacob said to his kinsfolk, “Gather stones,” and they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there by the heap. 47 Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha,[a] but Jacob called it Galeed.[b] 48 Laban said, “This heap is a witness between you and me today.” Therefore he called it Galeed(C) 49 and the pillar[c] Mizpah, for he said, “The Lord watch between you and me, when we are absent one from the other.(D) 50 If you ill-treat my daughters or if you take wives in addition to my daughters, though no one else is with us, remember that God is witness between you and me.”
51 Then Laban said to Jacob, “See this heap and see the pillar, which I have set between you and me. 52 This heap is a witness, and the pillar is a witness, that I will not pass beyond this heap to you, and you will not pass beyond this heap and this pillar to me, for harm. 53 May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor[d] judge between us.” So Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac,(E) 54 and Jacob offered a sacrifice on the height and called his kinsfolk to eat bread, and they ate bread and tarried all night in the hill country.
55 [e]Early in the morning Laban rose up and kissed his grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them; then he departed and returned home.(F)
Read full chapter2012 by Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.