Genesis 31:43-53

43 Laban answered to Jacob, The daughters, and the sons, and the flocks, and all things which thou seest, be mine; what may I do to my sons, and to the sons of my sons? (but now, what can I do about my daughters, or the children to whom they have given birth?)

44 Therefore come thou, and make we bond of peace, that it be a witnessing betwixt me and thee. (And so come thou, and let us make a covenant, and let it be a witness between me and thee.)

45 And so Jacob took a stone, and raised it (up) into a title, either a sign, (And so Jacob took a stone, and set it up as a sacred pillar,)

46 and said to his brethren, Bring ye stones; which gathered, and made an heap, and ate on it. (and said to his kinsmen, Bring ye some stones; and they gathered some, and made a heap, or a pile, out of them, and then they ate a meal beside it.)

47 And Laban called it The heap of witness, and Jacob called it The heap of witnessing; ever either called it by the property of his (own) language. (And Laban called it Jegarsahadutha, and Jacob called it Galeed; each named it in his own language.)

48 And Laban said, This heap shall be (a) witness betwixt me and thee today, and therefore the name thereof was called Galeed, that is, The heap of witness.

49 And Laban added, The Lord behold, and deem betwixt us, when we shall go away from you;

50 if thou shalt torment my daughters, and if thou shalt bring in other wives on them, none is witness of our word, except God, which is present, and beholdeth. (if thou shalt torment my daughters, or if thou shalt take other wives besides them, no one is a witness of our word, except God, who is present here, and beholdeth all of this.)

51 And again Laban said to Jacob, Lo! this heap, and the stone, (or the pillar,) which I have raised (up) betwixt me and thee,

52 shall be witness(es); soothly this heap, and the stone be into witnessing (this heap, and the stone, shall be witnesses for both of us), forsooth if I shall pass (over) it, and go to thee, either (if) thou shalt pass (over) it, and think (to do) evil to me.

53 God of Abraham, and God of Nahor, [the] God of the father of them, deem betwixt us. Therefore Jacob swore by the dread of his father Isaac;

Genesis 31:43-53 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 31

This chapter relates how that Jacob observing that Laban and his sons envied his prosperity, and having a call from God to return to his own country, acquaints his wives with it; and reports to them Laban's ill usage of him, and the wonderful appearance of God to him, and for him, and his orders to him to depart from thence, Ge 31:1-13; to which they agreed, knowing full well their father's unkindness, and that they had nothing to expect from him, and therefore judged it best to go off with what they had got through the gift of God unto them, Ge 31:14-16; upon which Jacob set out privately, with all he had, towards his own country, while Laban was shearing his sheep, Ge 31:17-21; three days after, Laban, being informed of it, pursued after Jacob, and overtook him at Mount Gilead; but was warned by the way to be cautious what he said to him, Ge 31:22-25; yet nevertheless he warmly expostulated with him about his secret flight, not giving him the opportunity of taking his leave of his children, and especially for taking away his gods, Ge 31:26-30; to which Jacob gave an answer, Ge 31:31-35; and in his turn was warm likewise, and chided Laban severely for his hot pursuit of him, his charge of stealth, when he could find nothing on him, his hard labour for the space of twenty years with him, and his ill requital of him for it, Ge 31:36-42; however, upon the whole, an amicable agreement was made between them, and they parted in a friendly manner, Ge 31:43-55.