Genesis 31:49

_AND MIZPAH; FOR HE SAID, THE LORD WATCH BETWEEN ME AND THEE, WHEN WE ARE ABSENT ONE FROM ANOTHER._ And Mizpah х_ MITSPAAH_ (H4709)] - a watch-tower, an eminence. When the word is used as the name of a place, it always has the article prefixed (cf. Judges 10:17; Judges 11:11; Judges 11:34). Its bestowment upon this spot originated in a paronomasia in reference to the circumstances in which the parties had met....

49._The Lord watch between me and thee_. Laban commits to the judgment of God, for vengeance, whatever offense either of them should be guilty of against the other in his absence; as if he would say, “Though the knowledge of the injury should not reach me, because I shall be far distant, yet the Lord, who is everywhere present, will behold it.” Which sentiment he more clearly expresses afterwards, when he says, “No one is with us; God will be witness between me and thee.” By which words he means, that God will be a severe avenger of every wickedness, though there should be no judge upon earth to decide the cause. And certainly if there were any religion flourishing within us, the presence of God would influence us far more than the observation of men. But it arises from the brutal stupidity of our flesh, that we reverence men only; as if we might mock God with impunity, when we are not c...

43-55 Laban could neither justify himself nor condemn Jacob, therefore desires to hear no more of that matter. He is not willing to own himself in fault, as he ought to have done. But he proposes a covenant of friendship between them, to which Jacob readily agrees. A heap of stones was raised, to keep up the memory of the event, writing being then not known or little used. A sacrifice of peace offerings was offered. Peace with God puts true comfort into our peace with our friends. They did eat bread together, partaking of the feast upon the sacrifice. In ancient times covenants of friendship were ratified by the parties eating and drinking together. God is judge between contending parties, and he will judge righteously; whoever do wrong, it is at their peril. They gave a new name to the place, The heap of witness. After this angry parley, they part friends. God is often better to us tha...

Verse Genesis 31:48-1. I think these two verses are badly divided, and should be read thus: Genesis 31:48. _And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and_ _thee this day_. Genesis 31:49. _Therefore was the name of it called Galeed and Mizpah;_ _for he said, The Lord watch between me and thee, when we are_ _absent one from another_. _MIZPAH_] מעפה _mitspah_ signifies a _watch-tower_; and Laban supposes that in consequence of the consecration of the place, and the covenant now solemnly made and ratified, that God would take possession of this heap, and stand on it as on a watch-tower, to prevent either of them from

- Jacob’s Flight from Haran 19. תרפים _t__e__rāpı̂ym_, Teraphim. This word occurs fifteen times in the Old Testament. It appears three times in this chapter, and nowhere else in the Pentateuch. It is always in the plural number. The root does not appear in Biblical Hebrew. It perhaps means “to live well,” intransitively (Gesenius, Roedig.), “to nourish,” transitively (Furst). The teraphim were symbols or representatives of the Deity, as Laban calls them his gods. They seem to have been busts (προτομαί _protomai_, Aquila) of the human form, sometimes as large as life 1 Samuel 19:13. Those of full size were probably of wood; the smaller ones may have been of metal. In two passages...

EXPOSITION GENESIS 31:45 AND JACOB TOOK A STONE, AND SET IT UP _for_ A PILLAR—or _Matzebah_,_ as a _memorial or witness of the covenant about to be formed (Genesis 31:52); a different transaction from the piling of the stone-heap next referred to (of. Genesis 28:18; Joshua 14:1). GENESIS 31:46 AND JACOB SAID UNTO HIS BRETHREN,—Laban's kinsmen and his own (_vide _

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" q; 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. q נסתר "abscondemur", Montanus, Vatablus, Drusius; "absconditi erimus", Junius Tremellius, Piscator so Ainsworth....

CHAPTER 31 JACOB'S SERVITUDE ENDED AND FLIGHT FROM LABAN _ 1. Laban's behavior and God's commandment (Genesis 31:1)_ 2. The dream vision to return to the land (Genesis 31:11) 3. Jacob's flight (Genesis 31:17) 4. Laban warned (Genesis 31:22) 5. Laban's accusation (Genesis 31:25) 6. Jacob's answer (Genesis 31:31) 7. The covenant between Jacob and Laban ...

GENESIS 31:22 TO GENESIS 32:2. AFTER MUTUAL RECRIMINATIONS, JACOB AND LABAN MAKE A COVENANT TO REFRAIN FROM AGGRESSION ON EACH OTHER'S TERRITORIES. The analysis is uncertain; Gunkel assigns Genesis 31:22; Genesis 31:26; Genesis 31:28_ a_ (to Laban), Genesis 31:32; Genesis 31:36_ b_,...

MIZPAH. Hebrew watch-tower. HE. i.e. Laban. So that he knew Hebrew as well as Chaldee. THE LORD. Laban also uses the name Jehovah. It is used by all the speakers in Genitive except the _Nachash_ (Genesis 3), Abimelech (when speaking to Abram, not to Isaac), the sons of Heth, Pharaoh, Joseph's brethren, and Joseph himself. ABSENT. Figure of speech _Metonymy_ (of Adjunct), App-6. Hebrew hidden, put for absent....