Genesis 31:49

Genesis 31:49 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Mizpah; for he said, The Lord watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.
• New International Version (NIV)It was also called Mizpah, because he said, “May the Lord keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other.
• English Standard Version (ESV)and Mizpah, for he said, "The Lord watch between you and me, when we are out of one another's sight.
• New King James Version (NKJV)also Mizpah, because he said, “May the Lord watch between you and me when we are absent one from another.

Context of Genesis 31:49

47Laban called that place Jegar Sahadutha. Jacob called it Galeed. 48Laban said, ‘These stones show that we have made an agreement today.’ That is why the place was called Galeed. The place was also called Mizpah. That was because Laban said, ‘May the Lord watch you and me when we are away from each other. 50Remember that God is watching you. If you do wrong to my daughters, God will see it. And if you marry any other women, remember this. God is watching you. Even if no one else sees you, God will know.’ 51Laban also said, ‘I have put this special stone here, and the heap of stones near it. They stand there between your land and my land.

Genesis 31:49 word by word

וְהַמִּצְפָּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָמַ֔ר יִ֥צֶף יְהוָ֖ה בֵּינִ֣י וּבֵינֶ֑ךָ כִּ֥י נִסָּתֵ֖ר אִ֥ישׁ מֵרֵעֵֽהוּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Mizpahמִצְפָּהmitspâh · MizpahH4709
• forאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• The Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• watchצָפָהtsâphâh · to watchH6822
• between me and thee, when we are absentסָתַרsâthar · to hideH5641
• oneאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
• from anotherרֵעַrêa‛ rêya‛ · neighborH7453

Cross-references for Genesis 31:49

• Judges 10:17The Ammonite army came to Gilead and they made their camp there. The Israelite army also came and they made their camp in Mizpah.
• Judges 11:11So Jephthah went back with them to Gilead. The people made him their ruler and leader of their army. In Mizpah, Jephthah repeated his promise to the Lord.
• 1 Samuel 7:5Then Samuel told all the Israelites, ‘Meet together at Mizpah. I will pray to the Lord for you there.’
• 1 Kings 15:22Then King Asa commanded all the men in Judah to do some hard work. Everyone had to do this: They must carry away from Ramah all the big stones and the wood that Baasha had been using there. Then King Asa used those things to make Geba (in Benjamin's land) and Mizpah strong towns again.
• Hosea 5:1‘Listen to this, you priests! Listen carefully, you Israelites! Listen, you people of the royal family! You are guilty and you deserve punishment. You have caused trouble for people with your trap at Mizpah. You have caught people in your net at Tabor mountain.

Commentaries on Genesis 31:49

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-55Verses 1-55 - Jacob‘s Flight from Haran 19. תרפים terāpı̂ym 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…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 43-55Verses 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…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 49The pile of stones was also called Mizpah (which means “watchtower”). God would watch over Jacob and Laban to keep them apart, because they did not trust each other.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22-5522-24. it was told Laban on the third day--No sooner did the news reach Laban than he set out in pursuit, and he being not encumbered, advanced rapidly; whereas Jacob, with a young family and numerous flocks, had to march slowly, so that he overtook the fugitives after seven days' journey as they lay encamped on the brow of mount Gilead, an extensive range of hills forming the eastern boundary of Canaan. Being accompanied by a number of his people, he…Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 31:49

• Contracts
• Covenant
• Laban
• Stones

In the dictionaries

• Mizpah
• Mizpah; Mizpeh
• Absent
• Agate
• Carry
• Discern
• Fear
• Gather
• Inheritance
• Jacob

Commentaries on Genesis 31

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings