43 Then Laban, answering, said, These women are my daughters and these children my children, the flocks and all you see are mine: what now may I do for my daughters and for their children? 44 Come, let us make an agreement, you and I; and let it be for a witness between us. 45 Then Jacob took a stone and put it up as a pillar. 46 And Jacob said to his people, Get stones together; and they did so; and they had a meal there by the stones. 47 And the name Laban gave it was Jegar-sahadutha: but Jacob gave it the name of Galeed. 48 And Laban said, These stones are a witness between you and me today. For this reason its name was Galeed, 49 And Mizpah, for he said, May the Lord keep watch on us when we are unable to see one another's doings. 50 If you are cruel to my daughters, or if you take other wives in addition to my daughters, then though no man is there to see, God will be the witness between us. 51 And Laban said, See these stones and this pillar which I have put between you and me; 52 They will be witness that I will not go over these stones to you, and you will not go over these stones or this pillar to me, for any evil purpose. 53 May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, be our judge. Then Jacob took an oath by the Fear of his father Isaac. 54 And Jacob made an offering on the mountain, and gave orders to his people to take food: so they had a meal and took their rest that night on the mountain. 55 And early in the morning Laban, after kissing and blessing his daughters, went on his way back to his country.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Genesis 31:43-55
Commentary on Genesis 31:43-55
(Read Genesis 31:43-55)
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 than our fears, and overrules the spirits of men in our favour, beyond what we could have expected; for it is not in vain to trust in him.