Genesis 31:43-55

2009.Mar.20 17:00

Treaty Between Family

Read Genesis 31:43-55 | Full Chapter

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? "So now come, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it be a witness between you and me." Then Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar. Jacob said to his kinsmen, "Gather stones." So they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there by the heap. Now Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed. Laban said, "This heap is a witness between you and me this day." Therefore it was named Galeed, and Mizpah, for he said, "May the LORD watch between you and me when we are absent one from the other. "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." Laban said to Jacob, "Behold this heap and behold the pillar which I have set between you and me. "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. "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. Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his kinsmen to the meal; and they ate the meal and spent the night on the mountain. Early in the morning Laban arose, and kissed his sons and his daughters and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned to his place.
(Genesis 31:43-55, NASB)

Like Abraham and Lot before them, Laban and Jacob agree to separate. In this case, the agreement is a bit behind the times, the separation a fait accompli. But, no bother. Now, Laban’s decided he’s willing to accept it. Then Laban goes into this business of “And if you do X, you’re god will notice.” Which is true, although I’m not sure the point is of much value. He doesn’t even explicitly say that he doesn’t want Jacob doing these things, although that intent is clear. The biggest aspect of the treaty is that neither will cross the border (in this case, a pile of stones) with the intent to harm the other. I guess this leaves open the possibility of a friendly reunion, but basically says they will leave each other be.

Okay, well, I guess at this point, that’s about as good as you can expect. Sometimes, just ending the relationship is the best thing for it (marriage, young children and one’s relationship with Yahweh being the cases in which this will not apply), but getting to that point indicates that at least one (and probably both) party has not made a real effort throughout the course of a relationship. Hopefully, though, they learn from the experience. Okay. Enough about the relationship between Laban and Jacob. Because Jacob does seem to be learning a bit. We’ll soon see how he interacts with Esau.

So, anyway, there’s a nice bit of seeing the actions going along with the agreement, including the building of what might be called an altar, animal sacrifice, and a shared meal. All memes which will appear numerous other times in the Bible. With particular attention to the Sinai Covenant.