seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Genesis 31:51 Laban also said to Jacob, “Here is this heap, and here is this pillar I have set up between you and me. 52 This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not go past this heap to your side to harm you and that you will not go past this heap and pillar to my side to harm me. 53 May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.”
So Jacob took an oath in the name of the Fear of his father Isaac. 54 He offered a sacrifice there in the hill country and invited his relatives to a meal. After they had eaten, they spent the night there.
55 Early the next morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them. Then he left and returned home.[d]
So Jacob took an oath in the name of the Fear of his father Isaac. 54 He offered a sacrifice there in the hill country and invited his relatives to a meal. After they had eaten, they spent the night there.
55 Early the next morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them. Then he left and returned home.[d]
d. Genesis 31:55 In Hebrew texts this verse (31:55) is numbered 32:1.
This is from studylight.org.
In effect, the pillar of Mizpah meant, If you come over on my side of this line, the pact is void and I will kill you. The covenant breaker would need God to take care of him, because the other would shoot to kill. Mizpah was never meant to be a nice sentiment - despite what a Mizpah coin shared between two people might say.
The best solution for Jacobs in-law problems was for him to separate from Laban. Therefore they set up a pillar to be a barrier between them.
Then Laban departed and returned to his place: After a proper good-bye, Laban saw his daughters and grandchildren for the last time. This is the last we hear of Laban in the Bible, and it is good that this is the end of him. Laban is of the world, and Jacob needed to be freed from this world in order to live wholeheartedly for the God of his fathers.
The best solution for Jacobs in-law problems was for him to separate from Laban. Therefore they set up a pillar to be a barrier between them.
Then Laban departed and returned to his place: After a proper good-bye, Laban saw his daughters and grandchildren for the last time. This is the last we hear of Laban in the Bible, and it is good that this is the end of him. Laban is of the world, and Jacob needed to be freed from this world in order to live wholeheartedly for the God of his fathers.
This is from the easy English commentary.
The purpose of the heap of stones was to separate Jacob’s descendants from Laban’s descendants. Then, they would not fight.
Laban also talked about ‘Nahor’s God’ and ‘their father’s God’. Maybe Laban meant that all those men had the same God. Or he might have meant that Nahor and the father did not have the same God as Abraham did. (Look at Joshua 24:2, 14, 15.) Abraham worshipped the one real God. And Jacob called only the one real God, the God of his father Isaac, as his witness.
The writer does not tell us whether Laban was also offering the sacrifice together with Jacob.
When Laban first met Jacob, Laban was very friendly to him. But when Laban said goodbye to Jacob, Laban was less friendly to him.
Laban also talked about ‘Nahor’s God’ and ‘their father’s God’. Maybe Laban meant that all those men had the same God. Or he might have meant that Nahor and the father did not have the same God as Abraham did. (Look at Joshua 24:2, 14, 15.) Abraham worshipped the one real God. And Jacob called only the one real God, the God of his father Isaac, as his witness.
The writer does not tell us whether Laban was also offering the sacrifice together with Jacob.
When Laban first met Jacob, Laban was very friendly to him. But when Laban said goodbye to Jacob, Laban was less friendly to him.
Laban and his men built a heap of stones. Jacob constructed a pillar for sacrifice.
Laban came looking for his gods. Jacob sacrificed to God.
