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Contemporary English Version
Genesis 31:44
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
- BridgewayEncyclopedias:
- CondensedParallel Translations
Now come, let us make a covenant, you and I; and let it be for a witness between me and you."
Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee.
So now, come, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it be a witness between me and you."
Let us make an agreement, and let us set up a pile of stones to remind us of it."
So now, come, let's make a formal agreement, you and I, and it will be proof that we have made peace."
"So come now, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it serve as a witness between you and me."
"So now come, let's make a covenant, you and I, and it shall be a witness between you and me."
Nowe therefore come and let vs make a couenant, I and thou, which may be a witnes betweene me and thee.
So now come, let us cut a covenant, you and I, and let it be a witness between you and me."
So now, come, let's make a covenant, I and you; and let it stand as a testimony between me and you."
And now, come, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be a witness between me and thee.
So I am ready to make an agreement with you. We will set up a pile of stones to show that we have an agreement."
Come now, let us make a covenant, you and I. And let it be a witness between you and me."
Now therefore come then, let us make a covenant, I and you; and let it be for a witness between me and you.
I am ready to make an agreement with you. Let us make a pile of stones to remind us of our agreement."
Come now, let’s make a covenant, you and I. Let it be a witness between the two of us.”
And now come, let us cut a covenant, you and me; and let it be a witness between you and me.
Now therfore come on, let vs make a couenaunt (I & thou) which maye be a wytnesse betwene me and the.
And now come, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee.
Come, let us make an agreement, you and I; and let it be for a witness between us.
Nowe therfore come on, and let vs make a league I and thou, which may be a wytnesse betwene me and thee.
And now come, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee.'
Now therefore come thou, let vs make a couenant, I and thou: and let it be for a witnesse betweene me and thee.
Now then come, let me make a covenant, both I and thou, and it shall be for a witness between me and thee; and he said to him, Behold, there is no one with us; behold, God is witness between me and thee.
And now come, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee.
Come now, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it serve as a witness between you and me."
Therfor come thou, and make we boond of pees, that it be witnessyng bitwixe me, and thee.
and now, come, let us make a covenant, I and thou, and it hath been for a witness between me and thee.'
And now come, let us make a covenant, I and you; and let it be for a witness between me and you.
Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee.
Now come, let us make a covenant, you and I; and let it be for a witness between me and you."
Now therefore, come, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it be a witness between you and me."
So come, let's make a covenant, you and I, and it will be a witness to our commitment."
So come now, let us make an agreement, you and I. And let us do something to show we have an agreement between us."
Come now, let us make a covenant, you and I; and let it be a witness between you and me."
Now, therefore, come on! Let us solemnise a covenant, I and thou, - So shall it be a witness betwixt me and thee.
Come, therefore, let us enter into a league; that it may be for a testimony between me and thee.
Come now, let us make a covenant, you and I; and let it be a witness between you and me."
"So now come, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it be a witness between you and me."
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
let us: Genesis 15:18, Genesis 21:22-32, Genesis 26:28-31, 1 Samuel 20:14-17
a witness: Genesis 31:48, Genesis 31:52, Genesis 21:30, Deuteronomy 31:19, Deuteronomy 31:21, Deuteronomy 31:26, Joshua 22:27, Joshua 24:25-27, God can put a bridle into the mouth of wicked man to restrain their malice; and then, though they have no love for his people, they will pretend to it, and try to make a merit of necessity. Scott.
Reciprocal: Genesis 21:23 - swear Genesis 21:27 - made Genesis 24:3 - swear Genesis 26:31 - sware Joshua 24:27 - General
Cross-References
At that time the Lord made an agreement with Abram and told him: I will give your descendants the land east of the Shihor River on the border of Egypt as far as the Euphrates River.
Rachel and Leah said to Jacob: There's nothing left for us to inherit from our father.
Then Jacob, his wives, and his children got on camels and left
Three days later Laban found out that Jacob had gone.
Jacob had set up camp in the hill country of Gilead, when Laban and his relatives came and set up camp in another part of the hill country. Laban went to Jacob
Why did you sneak away without telling me? I would have given you a going-away party with singing and with music on tambourines and harps.
You didn't even give me a chance to kiss my own grandchildren and daughters good-by. That was really foolish.
Jacob answered, "I left secretly because I was afraid you would take your daughters from me by force.
If you find that any one of us has taken your idols, I'll have that person killed. Let your relatives be witnesses. Show me what belongs to you, and you can take it back." Jacob did not realize that Rachel had stolen the household idols.
Laban said to Jacob, "This pile of rocks will remind us of our agreement." That's why the place was named Galeed.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Now therefore, come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou,.... Let us be good friends, and enter into an alliance for mutual safety, and make an agreement for each other's good. Laban perceiving that Jacob's God was with him, and blessed him, and made him prosperous, and protected him, was fearful, lest, growing powerful, he should some time or other revenge himself on him or his, for his ill usage of him; and therefore was desirous of entering into a covenant of friendship with him:
and let it be for a witness between me and thee; that all past differences are made up, and former quarrels subside, and everything before amiss is forgiven and forgotten, and that for the future peace and good will subsist; of which a covenant made between them would be a testimony.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
- Jacobâs Flight from Haran
19. תרפ×× teraÌpıÌym, Teraphim. This word occurs fifteen times in the Old Testament. It appears three times in this chapter, and nowhere else in the Pentateuch. It is always in the plural number. The root does not appear in Biblical Hebrew. It perhaps means âto live well,â intransitively (Gesenius, Roedig.), âto nourish,â transitively (Furst). The teraphim were symbols or representatives of the Deity, as Laban calls them his gods. They seem to have been busts (ÏÏοÏÎ¿Î¼Î±Î¹Ì protomai, Aquila) of the human form, sometimes as large as life 1 Samuel 19:13. Those of full size were probably of wood; the smaller ones may have been of metal. In two passages Judges 17:1-13; Judges 18:0; Hosea 3:4 they are six times associated with the ephod. This intimates either that they were worn on the ephod, like the Urim and Thummim, or more probably that the ephod was worn on them; in accordance with which they were employed for the purposes of divination Genesis 30:27; Zechariah 10:2. The employment of them in the worship of God, which Laban seems to have inherited from his fathers Joshua 24:2, is denounced as idolatry 1 Samuel 15:23; and hence, they are classed with the idols and other abominations put away by Josiah 2 Kings 23:24.
47. ש××××Ö¼×ª× ××ר yegar-sÌaÌhaÌduÌtaÌ', Jegar-sahadutha, âcairn of witnessâ in the Aramaic dialect of the old Hebrew or Shemite speech. ×××¢× galâeÌd, Galâed; and ×××¢× gıÌlâaÌd, Gilâad, âcairn of witnessâ in Hebrew especially so called (see Genesis 11:1-9).
49. ××¦×¤× mıÌtspaÌh, Mizpah, âwatch-tower.â
Jacob had now been twenty years in Labanâs service, and was therefore, ninety-six years of age. It has now become manifest that he cannot obtain leave of Laban to return home. He must, therefore, either come off by the high hand, or by secret flight. Jacob has many reasons for preferring the latter course.
Genesis 31:1-13
Circumstances at length induce Jacob to propose flight to his wives. His prosperity provokes the envy and slander of Labanâs sons, and Laban himself becomes estranged. The Lord now commands Jacob to return, and promises him his presence to protect him. Jacob now opens his mind fully to Rachel and Leah. Rachel, we observe, is put first. Several new facts come out in his discourse to them. Ye know - Jacob appeals to his wives on this point - âthat with all my might I served your father.â He means, of course, to the extent of his engagement. During the last six years he was to provide for his own house, as the Lord permitted him, with the full knowledge and concurrence of Laban. Beyond this, which is a fair and acknowledged exception, he has been faithful in keeping the cattle of Laban. âYour father deceived me, and changed my wages ten times;â that is, as often as he could.
If, at the end of the first year, he found that Jacob had gained considerably, though he began with nothing, he might change his wages every following half-year, and so actually change them ten times in five years. In this case, the preceding chapter only records his original expedients, and then states the final result. âGod suffered him not to hurt me.â Jacob, we are to remember, left his hire to the providence of God. He thought himself bound at the same time to use all legitimate means for the attainment of the desired end. His expedients may have been perfectly legitimate in the circumstances, but they were evidently of no avail without the divine blessing. And they would become wholly ineffectual when his wages were changed. Hence, he says, God took the cattle and gave them to me. Jacob seems here to record two dreams, the former of which is dated at the rutting season. The dream indicates the result by a symbolic representation, which ascribes it rather to the God of nature than to the man of art. The second dream makes allusion to the former as a process still going on up to the present time. This appears to be an encouragement to Jacob now to commit himself to the Lord on his way home. The angel of the Lord, we observe, announces himself as the God of Bethel, and recalls to Jacob the pillar and the vow. The angel, then, is Yahweh manifesting himself to human apprehension.
Genesis 31:14-19
His wives entirely accord with his view of their fatherâs selfishness in dealing with his son-in-law, and approve of his intended departure. Jacob makes all the needful preparations for a hasty and secret flight. He avails himself of the occasion when Laban is at a distance probably of three or more daysâ journey, shearing his sheep. âRachel stole the teraphim.â It is not the business of Scripture to acquaint us with the kinds and characteristics of false worship. Hence, we know little of the teraphim, except that they were employed by those who professed to worship the true God. Rachel had a lingering attachment to these objects of her familyâs superstitious reverence, and secretly carried them away as relics of a home she was to visit no more, and as sources of safety to herself against the perils of her flight.
Genesis 31:20-24
Laban hears of his flight, pursues, and overtakes him. âStole the heart,â κλεÌÏÏειν Î½Î¿Ï Íν kleptein noun. The heart is the seat of the understanding in Scripture. To steal the heart of anyone is to act without his knowledge. The river. The Frat, near which, we may conclude, Jacob was tending his flocks. Haran was about seventy miles from the river, and therefore, Labanâs flocks were on the other side of Haran. âToward mount Gilead;â about three hundred miles from the Frat. âOn the third day.â This shows that Labanâs flocks kept by his sons were still three daysâ journey apart from Jacobâs. His brethren - his kindred and dependents. âSeven daysâ journey.â On the third day after the arrival of the messenger, Laban might return to the spot whence Jacob had taken his flight. In this case, Jacob would have at least five days of a start; which, added to the seven days of pursuit, would give him twelve days to travel three hundred English miles. To those accustomed to the pastoral life this was a possible achievement. God appears to Laban on behalf of Jacob, and warns him not to harm him. âNot to speak from good to badâ is merely to abstain from language expressing and prefacing violence.
Genesis 31:25-32
Labanâs expostulation and Jacobâs reply. What hast thou done? Laban intimates that he would have dismissed him honorably and affectionately, and therefore, that his flight was needless and unkind; and finally charges him with stealing his gods. Jacob gives him to understand that he did not expect fair treatment at his hands, and gives him leave to search for his gods, not knowing that Rachel had taken them.
Genesis 31:33-42
After the search for the teraphim has proved vain, Jacob warmly upbraids Laban. âThe camelâs saddle.â This was a pack-saddle, in the recesses of which articles might be deposited, and on which was a seat or couch for the rider. Rachel pleads the custom of women as an excuse for keeping her seat; which is admitted by Laban, not perhaps from the fear of ceremonial defilement Leviticus 15:19-27, as this law was not yet in force, but from respect to his daughter and the conviction that in such circumstances she would not sit upon the teraphim. âMy brethren and thy brethrenâ - their common kindred. Jacob recapitulates his services in feeling terms. âBy day the drought;â caused by the heat, which is extreme during the day, while the cold is not less severe in Palestine during the night. âThe fear of Isaacâ - the God whom Isaac fears. Judged - requited by restraining thee from wrong-doing.
Genesis 31:43-47
Laban, now pacified, if not conscience-stricken, proposes a covenant between them. Jacob erects a memorial pillar, around which the clan gather a cairn of stones, which serves by its name for a witness of their compact. âJegar-sahadutha.â Here is the first decided specimen of Aramaic, as contradistinguished from Hebrew. Its incidental appearance indicates a fully formed dialect known to Jacob, and distinct from his own. Gilead or Galeed remains to this day in Jebel Jelâad, though the original spot was further north.
Genesis 31:48-54
The covenant is then completed. And Mizpah. This refers to some prominent cliff from which, as a watch-tower, an extensive view might be obtained. It was in the northern half of Gilead Deuteronomy 3:12-13, and is noticed in Judges 11:29. It is not to be confounded with other places called by the same name. The reference of this name to the present occurrence is explained in these two verses. The names Gilead and Mizpah may have arisen from this transaction, or received a new turn in consequence of its occurrence. The terms of the covenant are now formally stated. I have cast. The erection of the pillar was a joint act of the two parties; in which Laban proposes, Jacob performs, and all take part. âThe God of Abraham, Nahor, and Terah.â This is an interesting acknowledgment that their common ancestor Terah and his descendants down to Laban still acknowledged the true God even in their idolatry. Jacob swears by the fear of isaac, perhaps to rid himself of any error that had crept into Labanâs notions of God and his worship. The common sacrifice and the common meal ratify the covenant of reconciliation.
