3026. Yegar Sahadutha
Lexical Summary
Yegar Sahadutha: Heap of Witness

Original Word: יְגַר שׂהֲדוּתָא
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Ygar Sahaduwtha'
Pronunciation: yeh-GAR sah-ha-DOO-thah
Phonetic Spelling: (yegar' sah-had-oo-thaw')
KJV: Jegar-Sahadutha
NASB: Jegar-sahadutha
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) from a word derived from an unused root (meaning to gather) and a derivation of a root corresponding to H7717 (שָׂהֵד - advocate)]

1. heap of the testimony
2. Jegar-Sahadutha, a cairn East of the Jordan

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Jegar-Sahadutha

(Aramaic) from a word derived from an unused root (meaning to gather) and a derivation of a root corresponding to sahed; heap of the testimony; Jegar-Sahadutha, a cairn East of the Jordan -- Jegar-Sahadutha.

see HEBREW sahed

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
(Aramaic) from an unused word and one corresponding to sahed
Definition
"heap (of stones) of the testimony, " a memorial of Jacob and Laban
NASB Translation
Jegar-sahadutha (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
[יְגַּר] noun [masculine] (stone-)heap (ᵑ7 id.; Syriac ; compare Ethiopic throw together, mound); — construct שָֽׂהֲדוּתָא ׳י Genesis 31:47 (= Hebrew גַּלעֵֿד).

Topical Lexicon
Name and Translation

Jegar-sahadutha is an Aramaic phrase meaning “heap of testimony” or “mound of witness.” It designates the stone monument raised by Laban and Jacob; Jacob rendered the same meaning in Hebrew as Galeed. The dual naming underscores the shared yet distinct cultural identities of the two men and the equal binding force of their covenant (Genesis 31:47).

Historical Setting in Genesis 31

The name appears during Jacob’s departure from Paddan-aram. After years of tension over wages, livestock, and family loyalties, Laban overtook Jacob in the hill country of Gilead. The confrontation ended not with violence but with a covenant sealed by a heap of stones. “Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed” (Genesis 31:47). The event marks the final separation of the two households and the conclusion of Jacob’s servitude.

Covenantal Significance

1. Witness before God. The pile testified that both parties accepted the LORD as overseer: “May the LORD watch between you and me when we are absent from each other” (Genesis 31:49).
2. Boundary marker. It established territorial integrity: neither Jacob nor Laban would cross the heap to harm the other (Genesis 31:52).
3. Protection of the vulnerable. The covenant safeguarded Leah, Rachel, Bilhah, Zilpah, and the children from future mistreatment (Genesis 31:50).

Symbolism of the Heap of Stones

Memorial stones recur throughout Scripture (Joshua 4:6–7; 1 Samuel 7:12). Like Jegar-sahadutha, each pile reminds succeeding generations of divine oversight and covenant faithfulness. Stones—durable and conspicuous—furnish a visible, enduring testimony, silently preaching integrity and accountability.

Hebrew–Aramaic Parallel and God’s Universal Reach

The twin names Galeed (Hebrew) and Jegar-sahadutha (Aramaic) affirm that the God of Abraham rules beyond linguistic or ethnic boundaries. By recording both titles, Genesis anticipates later periods when Aramaic would become the lingua franca of the Near East (cf. Daniel 2:4). Scripture’s unity is thus showcased amid cultural diversity.

Witness Theme Across Scripture

Deuteronomy 19:15 establishes the legal principle of multiple witnesses.
Joshua 24:27 calls a stone to serve as witness to covenant renewal.
• In the New Testament, Jesus speaks of “two or three witnesses” (Matthew 18:16), and Paul cites the same standard (2 Corinthians 13:1). Jegar-sahadutha stands early in this trajectory, illustrating that God honors truthful testimony and enforces covenant obligations.

Ministry Applications

1. Conflict resolution. The narrative models transparent negotiation, mutual acknowledgment of wrongs, and submission to God’s judgment.
2. Establishing boundaries. Healthy relationships, whether familial or congregational, require clearly defined limits that honor all parties involved.
3. Tangible reminders. Churches often raise physical symbols—communion tables, baptisteries, or mission plaques—to recall God’s acts and pledges.
4. Accountability in leadership. Leaders today, like Jacob and Laban, remain under divine scrutiny; visible commitments encourage fidelity.

Christological and Eschatological Reflections

While Jegar-sahadutha marked a separation, the cross of Jesus Christ becomes the ultimate heap of testimony, reconciling estranged parties—Jew and Gentile, God and humanity (Ephesians 2:14-16). The final judgment likewise invokes the witness motif: “books were opened” (Revelation 20:12), and every deed is remembered.

Summary of Key Truths

• Jegar-sahadutha memorializes a covenant of peace, family protection, and divine surveillance.
• Its bilingual naming reveals God’s sovereignty over all nations and tongues.
• The heap initiates a biblical pattern of stone witnesses that shape Israel’s memory and theology.
• Modern believers draw from its lessons on reconciliation, boundary-setting, and enduring testimony to God’s faithfulness.

Forms and Transliterations
שָׂהֲדוּתָ֑א שהדותא śā·hă·ḏū·ṯā sahaduTa śāhăḏūṯā
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Genesis 31:47
HEB: לָבָ֔ן יְגַ֖ר שָׂהֲדוּתָ֑א וְיַֽעֲקֹ֔ב קָ֥רָא
NAS: called it Jegar-sahadutha, but Jacob
KJV: called it Jegarsahadutha: but Jacob
INT: called now Laban Jegar-sahadutha Jacob called

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 3026
1 Occurrence


śā·hă·ḏū·ṯā — 1 Occ.

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