43 And Laban answereth and saith unto Jacob, 'The daughters 'are' my daughters, and the sons my sons, and the flock my flock, and all that thou art seeing 'is' mine; and to my daughters—what do I to these to-day, or to their sons whom they have born? 44 and now, come, let us make a covenant, I and thou, and it hath been for a witness between me and thee.' 45 And Jacob taketh a stone, and lifteth it up 'for' a standing pillar; 46 and Jacob saith to his brethren, 'Gather stones,' and they take stones, and make a heap; and they eat there on the heap; 47 and Laban calleth it Jegar-Sahadutha; and Jacob hath called it Galeed. 48 And Laban saith, 'This heap 'is' witness between me and thee to-day;' therefore hath he called its name Galeed; 49 Mizpah also, for he said, 'Jehovah doth watch between me and thee, for we are hidden one from another; 50 if thou afflict my daughters, or take wives beside my daughters—there is no man with us—see, God 'is' witness between me and thee.' 51 And Laban saith to Jacob, 'Lo, this heap, and lo, the standing pillar which I have cast between me and thee; 52 this heap 'is' witness, and the standing pillar 'is' witness, that I do not pass over this heap unto thee, and that thou dost not pass over this heap and this standing pillar unto me—for evil; 53 the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, doth judge between us—the God of their father,' and Jacob sweareth by the Fear of his father Isaac. 54 And Jacob sacrificeth a sacrifice in the mount, and calleth to his brethren to eat bread, and they eat bread, and lodge in the mount; 55 and Laban riseth early in the morning, and kisseth his sons and his daughters, and blesseth them; and Laban goeth on, and turneth back 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.