Genesis 31:49 It was also called Mizpah, because Laban said, "May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are absent from each other.

◄ Genesis 31:49 ►

New International Version
It was also called Mizpah, because he said, “May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other.

New Living Translation
But it was also called Mizpah (which means “watchtower”), for Laban said, “May the LORD keep watch between us to make sure that we keep this covenant when we are out of each other’s sight.

English Standard Version
and Mizpah, for he said, “The LORD watch between you and me, when we are out of one another’s sight.

Berean Standard Bible
It was also called Mizpah, because Laban said, “May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are absent from each other.

King James Bible
And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.

New King James Version
also Mizpah, because he said, “May the LORD watch between you and me when we are absent one from another.

New American Standard Bible
and Mizpah, for he said, “May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are absent one from the other.

NASB 1995
and Mizpah, for he said, “May the LORD watch between you and me when we are absent one from the other.

NASB 1977
and Mizpah, for he said, “May the LORD watch between you and me when we are absent one from the other.

Legacy Standard Bible
and Mizpah, for he said, “May Yahweh watch between you and me when we are absent one from the other.

Amplified Bible
and Mizpah (watchtower), for Laban said, “May the LORD watch between you and me when we are absent from one another.

Christian Standard Bible
and also Mizpah, for he said, “May the LORD watch between you and me when we are out of each other’s sight.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
and also Mizpah, for he said, “May the LORD watch between you and me when we are out of each other’s sight.

American Standard Version
and Mizpah, for he said, Jehovah watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.

Contemporary English Version
Laban also said, "This pile of rocks means that the LORD will watch us both while we are apart from each other." So the place was also named Mizpah.

English Revised Version
and Mizpah, for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
and also Mizpah [Watchtower], because he said, "May the LORD watch between you and me when we're unable to see each other.

Good News Translation
Laban also said, "May the LORD keep an eye on us while we are separated from each other." So the place was also named Mizpah.

International Standard Version
It was also called Mizpah, because Laban said, "May the LORD watch between you and me, when we are estranged from each other.

Majority Standard Bible
It was also called Mizpah, because Laban said, ?May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are absent from each other.

NET Bible
It was also called Mizpah because he said, "May the LORD watch between us when we are out of sight of one another.

New Heart English Bible
and Mizpah, for he said, "God watch between me and you, when we are absent one from another.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.

World English Bible
and Mizpah, for he said, “Yahweh watch between me and you, when we are absent one from another.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
Mizpah also, for he said, “YHWH watches between me and you, for we are hidden from one another;

Young's Literal Translation
Mizpah also, for he said, 'Jehovah doth watch between me and thee, for we are hidden one from another;

Smith's Literal Translation
And watchtower: for he said Jehovah will watch between me and between thee when we shall be concealed a man from his Mend.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
The Lord behold and judge between us when we shall be gone one from the other.

Catholic Public Domain Version
“May the Lord consider and judge between us, when we will have withdrawn from one another.

New American Bible
and also Mizpah, for he said: “May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are out of each other’s sight.

New Revised Standard Version
and the pillar Mizpah, for he said, “The LORD watch between you and me, when we are absent one from the other.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And a watchtower; for he said. Let the LORD watch between me and you, because we are parting one from another.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the Watchtower, for he said, “LORD JEHOVAH will watch between me and you, because we are parting, each man from his brother.

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
and Mizpah, for he said: 'The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the vision of which he said - Let God look to it between me and thee, because we are about to depart from each other, -

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Jacob's Covenant with Laban
…48Then Laban declared, “This mound is a witness between you and me this day.” Therefore the place was called Galeed. 49It was also called Mizpah, because Laban said, “May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are absent from each other. 50If you mistreat my daughters or take other wives, although no one is with us, remember that God is a witness between you and me.”…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

1 Samuel 20:42
And Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for the two of us have sworn in the name of the LORD, saying, ‘May the LORD be a witness between you and me, and between your descendants and mine forever.’” Then David got up and departed, and Jonathan went back into the city.

Judges 11:10
And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “The LORD is our witness if we do not do as you say.”

Joshua 22:22-23
“The LORD, the Mighty One, is God! The LORD, the Mighty One, is God! He knows, and may Israel also know. If this was in rebellion or breach of faith against the LORD, do not spare us today. / If we have built for ourselves an altar to turn away from Him and to offer burnt offerings and grain offerings on it, or to sacrifice peace offerings on it, may the LORD Himself hold us accountable.

1 Samuel 24:12
May the LORD judge between you and me, and may the LORD take vengeance on you, but my hand will never be against you.

1 Samuel 26:23-24
May the LORD repay every man for his righteousness and faithfulness. For the LORD delivered you into my hand today, but I would not extend my hand against the LORD’s anointed. / As surely as I valued your life today, so may the LORD value my life and rescue me from all trouble.”

Psalm 121:8
The LORD will watch over your coming and going, both now and forevermore.

Psalm 139:1-3
For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. O LORD, You have searched me and known me. / You know when I sit and when I rise; You understand my thoughts from afar. / You search out my path and my lying down; You are aware of all my ways.

Proverbs 15:3
The eyes of the LORD are in every place, observing the evil and the good.

Jeremiah 29:23
For they have committed an outrage in Israel by committing adultery with the wives of their neighbors and speaking lies in My name, which I did not command them to do. I am He who knows, and I am a witness, declares the LORD.”

Malachi 3:5
“Then I will draw near to you for judgment. And I will be a swift witness against sorcerers and adulterers and perjurers, against oppressors of the widowed and fatherless, and against those who defraud laborers of their wages and deny justice to the foreigner but do not fear Me,” says the LORD of Hosts.

Matthew 18:20
For where two or three gather together in My name, there am I with them.”

Matthew 28:20
and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Luke 12:2-3
There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, and nothing hidden that will not be made known. / What you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the housetops.

John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not be afraid.

Acts 1:24
And they prayed, “Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have chosen

Treasury of Scripture

And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and you, when we are absent one from another.

Mizpah.

Judges 10:17
Then the children of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in Gilead. And the children of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in Mizpeh.

Judges 11:11,29
Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and captain over them: and Jephthah uttered all his words before the LORD in Mizpeh…

Mizpeh.

1 Samuel 7:5
And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD.

1 Kings 15:22
Then king Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah; none was exempted: and they took away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha had builded; and king Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah.

Hosea 5:1
Hear ye this, O priests; and hearken, ye house of Israel; and give ye ear, O house of the king; for judgment is toward you, because ye have been a snare on Mizpah, and a net spread upon Tabor.

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Genesis 31

1. Jacob, displeased with the envy of Laban and his sons, departs secretly.
19. Rachel steals her father's household gods.
22. Laban pursues after him, and complains of the wrong.
34. Rachel's plan to hide the images.
36. Jacob's complaint of Laban.
43. The covenant of Laban and Jacob at Galeed.

Berean Study Bible

It was also called Mizpah
The term "Mizpah" comes from the Hebrew root "צָפָה" (tsaphah), meaning "to watch" or "to look out." In the ancient Near Eastern context, a Mizpah was often a high place or a lookout point, symbolizing vigilance and divine oversight. This name signifies a place of covenant and remembrance, where God Himself is invoked as a witness to the agreement between Jacob and Laban. The use of "Mizpah" here underscores the solemnity and sacredness of their pact, reminding us of God's omnipresence and His role as the ultimate overseer of human affairs.

because he said
This phrase introduces the rationale behind the naming of Mizpah. It reflects the spoken word's power in biblical narratives, where declarations often carry significant weight and authority. In this context, Laban's words are not merely a personal wish but a formal invocation of God's presence and protection. This highlights the importance of speech in covenant-making and the belief that words, once spoken, have enduring spiritual and relational implications.

May the LORD keep watch
The invocation of "the LORD" (YHWH) here is significant, as it calls upon the covenantal name of God, emphasizing His faithfulness and sovereignty. The phrase "keep watch" suggests a divine guardianship, where God is asked to oversee and protect the parties involved. This reflects a deep trust in God's ability to maintain justice and peace, even when human eyes cannot see. It serves as a reminder of God's eternal vigilance and His role as the ultimate judge and protector.

between you and me
This phrase highlights the relational aspect of the covenant. It acknowledges the physical separation between Jacob and Laban but affirms that God's presence bridges the gap. The use of "between" suggests a mutual accountability before God, where both parties are equally subject to His watchful eye. This underscores the biblical principle that relationships, especially those bound by covenant, are sacred and should be maintained with integrity and respect.

when we are absent from one another
The acknowledgment of absence points to the reality of human limitations and the need for divine intervention. It recognizes that while humans may be separated by distance, God's presence is not confined by space or time. This phrase reassures believers that God's watchful care extends beyond physical proximity, offering comfort and assurance that He is always present, even in times of separation or uncertainty. It encourages trust in God's continuous oversight and His ability to sustain relationships despite physical absence.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(49) Mizpah.--That is, Watchtower. There is, probably, a play in this name upon the pillar which Laban proceeds to set up, and which in Hebrew is Mazebah. In the reason given for the name Labau calls Jacob's God Jehovah, an appellation which he must have learned from Jacob. and which proves not merely that he had some knowledge of Hebrew but that he and Jacob had talked together upon religious subjects, and that he was not a mere idolater, though he did call the teraphim his gods.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

and also Mizpah,
וְהַמִּצְפָּה֙ (wə·ham·miṣ·pāh)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4709: Mizpah -- the name of several places in Israel

because
אֲשֶׁ֣ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

he said,
אָמַ֔ר (’ā·mar)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“May the LORD
יְהוָ֖ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

keep watch
יִ֥צֶף (yi·ṣep̄)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6822: To lean forward, to peer into the distance, to observe, await

between you
בֵּינִ֣י (bê·nî)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's 996: An interval, space between

and me
וּבֵינֶ֑ךָ (ū·ḇê·ne·ḵā)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition | second person masculine singular
Strong's 996: An interval, space between

when
כִּ֥י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

we are absent
נִסָּתֵ֖ר (nis·sā·ṯêr)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - first person common plural
Strong's 5641: To hide, conceal

from one another.
מֵרֵעֵֽהוּ׃ (mê·rê·‘ê·hū)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7453: Friend, companion, fellow

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OT Law: Genesis 31:49 And Mizpah for he said Yahweh watch (Gen. Ge Gn)