Genesis 31:44-54

GOD’S WORD Translation

⁴⁴ Now, let’s make an agreement and let it stand as a witness between you and me.”

⁴⁵ Jacob took a stone and set it up as a marker. ⁴⁶ Then Jacob said to his relatives, “Gather some stones.” They took stones, put them into a pile, and ate there by the pile of stones. ⁴⁷ ⌞In his language⌟ Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha [Witness Pile], but Jacob called it Galeed.^[a]

⁴⁸ Laban said, “This pile of stones stands as a witness between you and me today.” This is why it was named Galeed ⁴⁹ and also Mizpah [Watchtower], because he said, “May the Lord watch between you and me when we’re unable to see each other. ⁵⁰ If you mistreat my daughters or marry other women behind my back, remember that God stands as a witness between you and me.”

⁵¹ Laban said to Jacob, “Here is the pile of stones, and here is the marker that I have set up between you and me. ⁵² This pile of stones and this marker stand as witnesses that I will not go past the pile of stones to harm you, and that you will not go past the pile of stones or marker to harm me. ⁵³ May the God of Abraham and Nahor—the God of their father—judge between us.”

So Jacob swore this oath by the Fear of his father Isaac ⁵⁴ and offered a sacrifice on the mountain. He invited his relatives to eat the meal with him. They ate with him and spent the night on the mountain.^[b]