Genesis 31:49

49 It was also called Mizpah,[a] because he said, “May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other.

Genesis 31:49 in Other Translations

KJV
49 And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.
ESV
49 and Mizpah, for he said, "The LORD watch between you and me, when we are out of one another's sight.
NLT
49 But it was also called Mizpah (which means “watchtower”), for Laban said, “May the LORD keep watch between us to make sure that we keep this covenant when we are out of each other’s sight.
MSG
49 It is also called Mizpah (Watchtower) because Laban said, "God keep watch between you and me when we are out of each other's sight.
CSB
49 and [also] Mizpah, for he said, "May the Lord watch between you and me when we are out of each other's sight.

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 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, and Jacob called it Galeed.
48 Laban said, “This heap is a witness between you and me today.” That is why it was called Galeed.
49 It was also called Mizpah, because he said, “May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other.
50 If you mistreat my daughters or if you take any wives besides my daughters, even though no one is with us, remember that God is a witness between you and me.”
51 Laban also said to Jacob, “Here is this heap, and here is this pillar I have set up between you and me.

Cross References 1

  • 1. Joshua 11:3; Judges 10:17; Judges 11:29; 1 Samuel 7:5-6

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. "Mizpah" means "watchtower."
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