Genesis 31:43-55
Laban’s Covenant with Jacob
43 And Laban answered and said to Jacob, “These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and this flock is my flock; 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 Now therefore, come, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it be a witness between you and me.”
45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar. 46 Then Jacob said to his brethren, “Gather stones.” And they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there on the heap. 47 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed. 48 And Laban said, “This heap is a witness between you and me this day.” Therefore its name was called Galeed, 49 also Mizpah, because he said, “May the LORD watch between you and me when we are absent one from another. 50 If you afflict my daughters, or if you take other wives besides my daughters, although no man is with us—see, God is witness between you and me!”
51 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Here is this heap and here is this pillar, which I have placed between you and me. 52 This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not pass beyond this heap to you, and you will not pass beyond this heap and this pillar to me, for harm. 53 The God of Abraham, the God of Nahor, and the God of their father judge between us.” And Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac. 54 Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his brethren to eat bread. And they ate bread and stayed all night on the mountain. 55 And early in the morning Laban arose, and kissed his sons and daughters and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned to his place.
Laban seemed to lay claim to his daughters and grandchildren after hearing Jacob’s complaints about Laban’s deceptive dealings with them and his flocks, but resigned himself to the inevitable conclusion that they were Jacob’s now and so made a covenant agreement with him as a witness of their relationship of truce before the LORD God of Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham. Jacob setup a heap around a pillar of stone and they shared a meal on it to seal the deal, and that “heap of witness” or “Mizpah,” a watchtower, was to be a reminder of and testimony to their agreement that would outlast them both. Jacob reminded his uncle that this was a witness to their covenant which the LORD would enforce by their commitment of promise before Him to one another. Jacob was to promise to treat his wives, Laban’s daughters, well as God would watch over them to bear ultimate witness of this. For his part, Laban promised not to travel past the watchtower heap to come for Jacob and likewise Jacob promised not to travel past it to Laban for any reason. He likely wanted assurances that Jacob would not take rev for the way he had been deceived and Jacob wanted assurances that Laban would not go back on his promise and try to recover his flocks, children, or grandchildren. Laban said, “The God of Abraham, the God of Nahor, and the God of their father” would bear witness to judge as well. He acknowledged the LORD in the agreement and Jacob’s fear of the LORD God was the basis of his promise as his father and forefathers had trusted and followed obediently by faith. Jacob sealed the deal with God by a sacrifice and a celebratory meal (Genesis 26:30-31, Psalm 22:25-26), then they parted ways. When we face a conflict with others, we can look to this example to do the right thing as Jacob did in dealing with deception, coming to an agreement of peace and keeping distance to hold that agreement when necessary. Above all else, we can trust the Lord to justify and keep us by His power and grace as we trust and obey with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12) and uphold our side of the settlement with our adversary (Matthew 5:25, Luke 12:58, Romans 12:17-18) under the peace and protection of the Lord for doing what is good and right. We are called to seek peace (Psalm 34:14, Romans 14:19, 1 Peter 3:9-10, 11-12) and pursue it.
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