Genesis 31:51

Verse 51. And Laban said to Jacob - behold this pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee] But this pillar, not cast but set up, was certainly set up by Jacob; for in Ge 31:45 we read, And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar: it is therefore for the honour of one Hebrew and one Samaritan MS. that they have preserved the true reading in Ge 31:51, ירית yaritha, THOU hast set up. - Kennicott. Instead of either of the above readings the Samaritan text has [Samaritan] yarata, The pillar which thou SEEST betwixt me and thee.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Gen 31:51 And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold [this] pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee;

Ver. 51. {See Trapp on "Gen 31:44"}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

51. heap … set] Jacob had caused the heap to be collected; Laban had erected the pillar: see note on Gen_31:45. Two compacts are made: (1) Jacob will not ill-treat Laban’s daughters, Gen_31:50; (2) neither Laban nor Jacob will pass the boundary heap of stones to do the other harm, Gen_31:52. The heap of stones and the pillar are the witness of the agreement.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount,.... On Mount Gilead, not in a religious way, in which he could not join with Laban, or admit him to it; but in a civil way he "slew a slaughter" (s), or rather made one; that is, as Jarchi explains it, he slew cattle for a feast, as it was usual to make feasts for the several parties concerned in covenant, see Gen 26:30,

and called his brethren, to eat bread; the, men that came with Laban, and him also, these he invited to his feast, for all sorts of food is called bread:

and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount; this affair between Laban and Jacob had took up the whole day, at evening they feasted together upon the covenant being made, and then tarried all night to take their rest.

(s) "et mactavit mactationem", Drusius, Cartwright, Schmidt, Ainsworth.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

I have, &c. One Samaritan copy reads very properly, "thou hast set up," (yarithi), ver. 45. (Kennicott).

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Vers 51-53. And Laban said to Jacob, according to Ewald the last narrator has transposed the names of Laban and Jacob (vide "History of Israel," vol. 1. p. 346)Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have cast (same word as in ver. 45. The Arabic version and Samaritan text read yaritha, thou hast erected, instead of yarithi, I have erected or cast up) betwixt me and thee; this heap be witness, and this pillar be witness, that (literally, if, here = that) I will not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar (Laban bound himself never to pass over the heap which he had erected as his witness; whereas Jacob was required to swear that he would never cross the pillar and the pile, both of which were witnesses for him) unto me, for harm. The emphatic word closes the sentence. The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge the verb is plural, either because Laban regarded the Elohim of Nahor as different from the Elohim of Abraham (Rosenm Keil, Kalisch, Wordsworth, "Speaker"s Commentary"), or because, though acknowledging only one Elohim, he viewed him as maintaining several and distinct relations to the persons named (cf. Quarry, p. 499)betwixt us. Laban here invokes his own hereditary Elohim, the Elohim of Abraham"s father, to guard his rights and interests under the newly-formed covenant; while Jacob in his adjuration appeals to the Elohim of Abraham"s son. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac (vide supra, ver. 42).

HOMILIES BY R.A. REDFORD

Vers. 51-55.

Final covenant between Jacob and Laban.

I ENTIRE SEPARATION FROM TEMPTATION IS THE ONLY SAFETY. Very imperfect knowledge in the Mesopotamian family. Rachel"s theft of the household gods a sign of both moral and spiritual deficiency. The religion of Jacob and his descendants must be preserved from contamination. Intercourse with the unenlightened and unsanctified, though necessary for a time and in some degree, must not be suffered to obscure the higher light, or surround us with practical entanglements which hinder our faithfulness to God.

II WHEREVER THE SPIRITUAL LIFE IS FEEBLE IT IS WELL THAT THERE SHOULD BE SOLEMN PUBLIC ACTS OF COVENANT AND TESTIMONY. We want the Galeed and the Mizpah, the heap of witness and the watch-tower of faith. Many united together in the covenant, and thus became witnesses in whose presence the oath was taken. We are helped to faithfulness by the publicity of our vows. But the higher the spiritual life, the less we shall call in material things to support it. Jacob with Laban is not the true Jacob. All dependence upon the symbol and rite is more or less compromise.

III THE CONTACT OF THE HIGHER FORM OF RELIGION WITH THE LOWER ONE, OF THE MEANS OF PREPARING THE WORLD FOR THE TRUTH. Laban and his family types of the lower order of religious knowledge and life. The covenant between the father-in-law and son-in-law in the name of the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor points to a rising light in the Mesopotamian family. We may be sure that the influence of Christianity will be supreme wherever it is brought face to face with men"s religions. That influence may be embodied in matters of common life, in covenants between man and man, in laws and commercial regulations and social arrangements.

IV THE SEED OF THE DIVINE LIFE IS PLANTED IN THE SOIL OF NATURE, BUT REVEALS ITS SUPERIORITY TO NATURE BY BRINGING ALL THINGS AND MEN INTO SUBJECTION TO ITSELF. Jacob, Rachel, and afterwards Joseph, present to the Spirit of God elements of character which require both elevation and renovation. The grace is given. On a natural foundation inherited from others God rears by his grace a lofty structure. The crafty and the thoughtful are often nearly allied. It is one of the spiritual dangers to which specially energetic and subtle minds are exposed, that they may so easily fall into an abuse of their superior mental quickness to the injury of their moral purity and simplicity. Jacob and Laban making their covenant together, and erecting their witnessing monuments, are another illustration of the homage which even very imperfect characters pay to the God of truth. They appeal to him, and they do so in the presence of a world which they know will justify God, and not the sinner. The God of Abraham, the God of Nahor, the God of Isaac, judged between them. Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and invited his brethren to a sacrificial banquet; and it was in that atmosphere of mingled reverence for God and human affection that the heir of the covenant bade farewell to all that held him in restraint. and set his face once more towards the land of promise. R.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

This pile is a witness, and the pillar is a witness

These piles of stones were to act as a remembrance and a boundary marker for Jacob and Laban regarding their peace agreement. They are spoken of as if they are human witnesses. (See: Personification)

May the God of Abraham, and the god of Nahor, the gods of their father, judge between us

Abraham is Jacob's grandfather. Nahor is Laban's grandfather. The father of Abraham and Nahor is Terah. Not all of them worshipped Yahweh.

the Fear of his father Isaac

Here the word "Fear" refers to Yahweh, who Isaac deeply respected and showed that respect by obeying him.

translationWords

column

testimony

Abraham

Nahor

ancestor

judge

oath

Isaac

fear

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

יריתי I HAVE SET UP (by casting stones down); the word has the same meaning as (Exodus 15:4) “He cast (ירה) into the sea”. Laban speaks like a person who casts (יורה) one arrow (Midrash Rabbah has “one spear”) and boasts of his prowess.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

ויאמר...אשר יריתי ביני וביניך, the words להיותם עד, “to serve as witness” are presumed to be part of this verse. It is also possible that the line as it is written means “shall be between me and you,” as a warning not to trespass, i.e. violate any of the conditions agreed to. Crossing the boundary established for aggressive purposes was outlawed by mutual agreement. Lavan added the words אשר יריתי, “which I have set up,” to emphasise that although Yaakov had in fact erected this pile of stones, this was a joint undertaking and obligated both of them to keep the peace. After all, he, Lavan had first broached the subject of entering into a covenant. This meant that when Yaakov had erected the pile and the monument he had done so at the initiative and suggestion of Lavan, making it a joint enterprise. We have already explained on verse 46 that in fact Lavan’s sons and brothers had collected the rocks which later formed the גל, the heap. [I believe that seeing they had no mortar the monument was called a גל, suggesting that it was not as permanent as a wall with its stones held in place by mortar. Ed.] The meaning of the words אשר יריתי could be: “at my instruction.” We have such a meaning of the root in Job 27,11 אורה אתכם ביד א-ל,”I will teach you what is in G’d’s power.”

Radak on the Tanakh — English translations: “Sefaria Community Translation” (CC0 1.0 (public-domain dedication)); “Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash” (CC BY 4.0); “Rabbi Mike Feuer, Jerusalem Anthology” (CC BY 4.0); and “R. David Kimhi on the first book of Psalms, Translated by R.G. Finch, London, 1919” (public domain). Text via Sefaria.