Knowing The Word in Genesis 31:43-55, Stones of Witness

43 Then Laban answered and said to Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine. But what can I do this day for these my daughters or for their children whom they have borne? 44 Come now, let us make a covenant, you and I. And let it be a witness between you and me.” 45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar [as at Bethel]. 46 And Jacob said to his kinsmen, “Gather stones.” And they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there by the heap. 47 Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha [cairn of witness], but Jacob called it Galeed [cairn of witness]. [There seem to be two monuments, one made by each man.] 48 Laban said, “This heap is a witness between you and me today.” Therefore he named it Galeed, 49 and Mizpah [referring to the stone pillar], for he said, “The Lord watch between you and me, when we are out of one another's sight. 50 If you oppress my daughters, or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no one is with us, see, God is witness between you and me.” [There is some irony in Laban’s concern for Jacob not to take more wives.]

51 Then Laban said to Jacob, “See this heap and the pillar, which I have set between you and me. 52 This heap is a witness, and the pillar is a witness, that I will not pass over this heap to you, and you will not pass over this heap and this pillar to me, to do harm. [Territorial integrity is being established.] 53 The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor [suggesting Laban is a polytheist], the God of their father, judge between us.” So Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac, 54 and Jacob offered a sacrifice in the hill country and called his kinsmen to eat bread. They ate bread and spent the night in the hill country. [The covenant is concluded by a sacrifice and a meal as customary.]

55 Early in the morning Laban arose and kissed his grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned home. [The angry chase ends in a peaceful covenant of respect of family and territory.]