The Mizpah Contract – Jacob And Laban Made Another Contract

   February 20, 2020
THE MIZPAH COVENANT

Finally, Jacob and Laban made another contract, this time not to defraud or hurt each other. Then they separate in an outwardly friendly manner.

We will see that God wants to get Jacob out of that land. He recognizes that the influence of Laban’s household is not good for Jacob and his growing family.

The boys are going to be heads of the twelve tribes of Israel, and God is anxious to get them out from that environment and back into Abraham’s country, the country which He had promised to Abraham.

Genesis 31:43-55 KJV

[43] And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that thou seest is mine: and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children which they have born?

[44] Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee.

[45] And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar.

[46] And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did eat there upon the heap.

[47] And Laban called it Jegar–sahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed.

[48] And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed;

[49] And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.

[50] If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take other wives beside my daughters, no man is with us; see, God is witness betwixt me and thee.

[51] And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee;

[52] This heap be witness, and this pillar be witness, that I will not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm.

[53] The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac.

[54] Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount.

[55] And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned unto his place.

Genesis 31:43 KJV

And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that thou seest is mine: and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children which they have born?

 

 

Genesis 31:44 KJV

Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee.

  • The way in which this covenant was ratified was by a heap of stones being laid in a circular pile, to serve as seats, and in the center of this circle a large one was set up perpendicularly for an altar.
  • It is probable that a sacrifice was first offered, and then that the feast of reconciliation was partaken of by both parties seated on the stones around it.
  • To this day heaps of stones, which have been used as memorials, are found abundantly in the region where this transaction took place.

Genesis 31:45 KJV

And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar.

 

 

 

Genesis 31:46 KJV

And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did eat there upon the heap.

 

 

 

Genesis 31:47 KJV

And Laban called it Jegar–sahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed.

  • Jegar-sahadutha … Galeed, The two terms mean essentially the same thing, one in Aramaic and the other in Hebrew. “Heap of witnesses.”

Genesis 31:48 KJV

And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed;

  • The words of this contract have been used by young people’s groups and other groups as a benediction.
  • I don’t think it ought to be used that way because it was a contract made between two rascals who are going to quit stealing from each other and work on somebody else!

Genesis 31:49 KJV

And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.

  • Mizpah Another name for the site meaning “watchtower.” It later became a town a good distance NW of Jerusalem.

Genesis 31:50 KJV

If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take other wives beside my daughters, no man is with us; see, God is witness betwixt me and thee.

 

 

Genesis 31:51 KJV

And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee;

 

 

 

Genesis 31:52 KJV

This heap be witness, and this pillar be witness, that I will not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm.

  • Objects of nature were frequently thus spoken of.
  • But over and above, there was a solemn appeal to God; and it is observable that there was a marked difference in the religious sentiments of the two.
  • Laban spake of the God of Abraham and Nahor, their common ancestors; but Jacob, knowing that idolatry had crept in among that branch of the family, swore by the “fear of his father Isaac.”
  • They who have one God should have one heart: they who are agreed in religion should endeavor to agree in everything else.

Genesis 31:53 KJV

The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac.

 

 

 

Genesis 31:54 KJV

Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount.

 

 

 

Genesis 31:55 KJV

And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned unto his place.

 

 

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