49
and Mizpah,וְהַמִּצְפָּהforאֲשֶׁרhe said,אָמַר“May YHWHיְהוָהwatchיִצֶףbetween meבֵּינִיand youוּבֵינֶךָwhenכִּיwe are hiddenנִסָּתֵרeach of usאִישׁfrom the other.מֵרֵעֵהוּ
Genesis 31:49
Study it in the app“and Mizpah, for he said, “May YHWH watch between me and you when we are hidden each of us from the other.”
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 31:49, word by word
- and Mizpahמִּצְפָּהmitspa
Mizpah
See it on the mapWhere else “mitspa” appears- he saidאָמַרamar
say
To say with the mouth to someone what one thinks or wants, or to answer him.
Where else “amar” appears- “May YHWHיְהוָהyehva
YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
Where else “yehva” appears- watchיִצֶףyitsef
watch
To watch closely what is coming or what is happening.
Where else “yitsef” appears- we are hiddenנִסָּתֵרnisater
hide
To put someone or something out of sight, to keep it safe or to flee.
Where else “nisater” appears- each of usאִישׁish
each
Literally "a man": any person; with "not", not a single person.
Where else “ish” appears- from the otherרֵעֵree
neighbor
The person living near, anyone one deals with.
Where else “ree” appears
Translation note
“Mizpah” means “watchpost” and sounds like “may he watch” (yitsef).
Places in this verse
Mizpah ?
Today: possibly Tell en-Nasbeh, West Bank
The name of several places; the main one was north of Jerusalem in Benjamin, and its exact site is not certain.
There Samuel gathered Israel, who confessed, “We have sinned against YHWH” (1 Sam 7:5-6), and there he presented Saul as king (1 Sam 10:17-24).
The context
48Laban said, “This heap is a witness between me and you today.” That is why its name was called Galeed,
49 · This verse (above)
50If you afflict my daughters, or if you take wives besides my daughters, though no one is with us, see, Elohim is witness between me and you.”
To study Genesis 31 in a group
1. What it says
Why did Jacob leave Laban’s house, and what did Elohim say to Laban in a dream (vv. 3, 24)?
2. What it means
What does the heap of stones mean as a witness between Jacob and Laban (vv. 44-50)?
3. How I live it
How can you close a conflict with someone in a clear and peaceful way?