And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed;
Genesis 31:48 comes at the close of Jacob's long service under Laban, when Jacob, growing weary, asked to be sent away to his own place and country with his wives and children for whom he had served. Laban admitted he had learned by experience that the Lord had blessed him for Jacob's sake, so that the little he had before had grown into a multitude, while Jacob himself had increased exceedingly with cattle, maidservants, menservants, camels and asses. Laban's sons accused Jacob of taking all their father's wealth and gaining all this glory from it, Laban's own attitude toward Jacob changed, and Jacob, who had delayed leaving for fear of Esau, now feared violence from Laban's sons who regarded his wealth as their own. Mindful of the promise at Bethel, Jacob prayed for direction, and God answered in a dream commanding him to return to the land of his fathers and to his kindred with the promise to be with him.
Laban proposed a covenant of peace when he could not deny Jacob's charges of selfishness and harshness, and Jacob agreed. The heap of stones was piled as a token of that compact and called Galeed, and also Mizpah, meaning watch tower, with the prayer that the Lord would watch between them when they were absent from one another. The heap stands as witness to a mutual pledge that neither Laban nor Jacob would pass beyond it and the pillar to do harm. The pledge was sealed by calling on the God of Abraham and Nahor to judge between them and by Jacob swearing by the Fear of Isaac, then confirmed by a shared feast and a night of friendly communing. At dawn Laban departed, and that parting ended all connection between the children of Abraham and the dwellers in Mesopotamia.
Genesis 31:48 comes at the close of Jacob's long service under Laban, when Jacob, growing weary, asked to be sent away to his own place and country with his wives and children for whom he had served. Laban admitted he had learned by experience that the Lord had blessed him for Jacob's sake, so that the little he had before had grown into a multitude, while Jacob himself had increased exceedingly with cattle, maidservants, menservants, camels and asses. Laban's sons accused Jacob of taking all their father's wealth and gaining all this glory from it, Laban's own attitude toward Jacob changed, and Jacob, who had delayed leaving for fear of Esau, now feared violence from Laban's sons who regarded his wealth as their own. Mindful of the promise at Bethel, Jacob prayed for direction, and God answered in a dream commanding him to return to the land of his fathers and to his kindred with the promise to be with him.
Laban proposed a covenant of peace when he could not deny Jacob's charges of selfishness and harshness, and Jacob agreed. The heap of stones was piled as a token of that compact and called Galeed, and also Mizpah, meaning watch tower, with the prayer that the Lord would watch between them when they were absent from one another. The heap stands as witness to a mutual pledge that neither Laban nor Jacob would pass beyond it and the pillar to do harm. The pledge was sealed by calling on the God of Abraham and Nahor to judge between them and by Jacob swearing by the Fear of Isaac, then confirmed by a shared feast and a night of friendly communing. At dawn Laban departed, and that parting ended all connection between the children of Abraham and the dwellers in Mesopotamia.