Genesis 31:43-55

New International Reader's Version

⁴³ Laban answered Jacob, “The women are my daughters. The children are my children. The flocks are my flocks. Everything you see is mine. But what can I do today about these daughters of mine? What can I do about the children they’ve had? ⁴⁴ Come now. Let’s make a formal agreement, you and I. Let it be a witness between us.”

⁴⁵ So Jacob set up a stone as a way to remember. ⁴⁶ He said to his relatives, “Get some stones.” So they took stones and put them in a pile. And they ate there by it. ⁴⁷ Laban named the pile of stones Jegar Sahadutha. Jacob named it Galeed.

⁴⁸ Laban said, “This pile of stones is a witness between you and me today.” That’s why it was named Galeed. ⁴⁹ It was also called Mizpah. That’s because Laban said, “May the Lord keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other. ⁵⁰ Don’t treat my daughters badly. Don’t get married to any women besides my daughters. There isn’t anyone here to see what we’re doing. But remember that God is a witness between you and me.”

⁵¹ Laban also said to Jacob, “Here is this pile of stones. And here is this stone I’ve set up. I’ve set them up between you and me. ⁵² This pile is a witness. And this stone is a witness. They are witnesses that I won’t go past this pile to harm you. And they are witnesses that you won’t go past this pile and this stone to harm me. ⁵³ The God of Abraham and Nahor is also the God of their father. May their God decide which of us is right.”

So Jacob made a promise using the name of the God his father Isaac worshiped. ⁵⁴ He offered a sacrifice there in the hill country. And he invited his relatives to a meal. After they had eaten, they spent the night there.

⁵⁵ Early the next morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters. He gave them his blessing. Then he left and returned home.