Genesis 31:49

49 and Mizpah, because he said, "Yahweh watch between me and you when {we are out of sight of each other}.

Genesis 31:49 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 31:49

And Mizpah
Which being an Hebrew word, it looks as if the heap had also this name given it by Jacob, which signifies a "watch" or "watchtower"; though, by what follows, it seems to be given by Laban, who could speak Hebrew as well, as Syriac, or Chaldee: for he said, the Lord watch between me and thee, when we are absent
one from another;
or "hid one from another" F17; when being at a distance, they could not see each other, or what one another did in agreement or disagreement with their present covenant: but he intimates, that the Lord sees and knows all things, and therefore imprecates that God would watch over them both, them and their actions, and bring upon them the evil or the good, according as their actions were, or as they broke or kept this covenant.


FOOTNOTES:

F17 (rton) "abscondemur", Montanus, Vatablus, Drusius; "absconditi erimus", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; so Ainsworth.

Genesis 31:49 In-Context

47 And Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed.
48 Then Laban said, "This pile of stones [is] a witness between me and you today." Therefore its name is called Galeed,
49 and Mizpah, because he said, "Yahweh watch between me and you when {we are out of sight of each other}.
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.

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. Hebrew for "watchpost"
  • [b]. Literally "each from his neighbor is concealed"
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.