43 Then Laban replied to Jacob , "The daughters are my daughters , and the children are my children , and the flocks are my flocks , and all that you see is mine. But what can I do this day to these my daughters or to their children whom they have borne ? 44 "So now come , let us make a covenant , you and I, and let it be a witness between you and me." 45 Then Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar . 46 Jacob said to his kinsmen , "Gather stones ." So they took stones and made a heap , and they ate there by the heap . 47 Now Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha , but Jacob called it Galeed . 48 Laban said , " This heap is a witness between you and me this day ." Therefore e it was named e Galeed , 49 and Mizpah , for he said , "May the Lord watch between you and me when we are absent one from the other . 50 "If you mistreat my daughters , or if you take wives besides my daughters , although no man is with us, see , God is witness between you and me." 51 Laban said to Jacob , "Behold this heap and behold the pillar which I have set between you and me. 52 "This heap is a witness , and the pillar is a witness , that I will not pass by this heap to you for harm, and you will not pass by this heap and this pillar to me, for harm . 53 " The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor , the God of their father , judge between us." So Jacob swore by the fear of his father Isaac . 54 Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain , and called his kinsmen to the meal e ; and they ate the meal and spent the night on the mountain . 55 Early in the morning Laban arose , and kissed his sons and his daughters and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned to his place .
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.