And Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed.
47. And Laban called it ] This verse, which anticipates and does not agree with Gen 31:48-49, must be a learned gloss.
Laban the Syrian (cf. Gen 31:20, Gen 28:5) gives an Aramaic name, Jacob the Hebrew gives a Hebrew name. In the region of Gilead, in later times, both languages were probably spoken 1 [25] .
[25] “Pillars of testimony” occur to-day in groups at many places, especially where the traveller first catches sight of some sacred spot. Thereupon he sets stones one upon the other in the shape of a column, and says, “Oh, so and so (mentioning the name of the saint whose weli he sees), as I by this bear testimony to thee, so do thou bear testimony to me in the day of judgment” (Peters, Early Hebrew Story, p. 111f.).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 47. Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha] yegar sahadutha, the heap or round heap of witness; but Jacob called it galed, which signifies the same thing. The first is pure Chaldee, the second pure Hebrew. agar signifies to collect, hence yegar and ogar, a collection or heap made up of gathered stones; and hence also egora, an altar, used frequently by the Chaldee paraphrast. See 1Kg 12:33; Jdg 6:31; 2Kg 21:3; Jer 17:1. See Castel’s Lexicon. From this example we may infer that the Chaldee language was nearly coequal with the Hebrew. A gloss made by St. Jerome, and which was probably only entered by him in his margin as a note, has crept into the text of the Vulgate. It is found in every copy of this version, and is as follows: Uterque juxta proprietatem linguae suae, Each according to the idiom of his own tongue.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Both names signify the same thing, a heap of witness; only Laban gives the name in the Syrian language; but Jacob, though he had been long conversant in Syria, and understood that language, yet he chose to give it in Hebrew, which was both a secret renouncing of the Syrian manners and religion, together with their language, and an implicit profession of his conjunction with the Hebrews, as in their tongue, so in their religion.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And Laban called it Jegarsahadutha,…. Which in the Syriac and Chaldee languages signifies “an heap of witness”; it being, as after observed, a witness of the covenant between Laban and Jacob:
but Jacob called it Galeed; which in the Hebrew tongue signifies the same, “an heap of witness”; or “an heap, [the] witness”, for the same reason. Laban was a Syrian, as he sometimes is called, Ge 25:20, wherefore he used the Syrian language; Jacob was a descendant of Abraham the Hebrew, and he used the Hebrew language; and both that their respective posterity might understand the meaning of the name; though these two are not so very different but Laban and Jacob could very well understand each other, as appears by their discourse together, these being but dialects of the same tongue.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
47. And Laban called it. Each, in his own language, gives a name, of the same signification, to the heap. Whence it appears, that Laban used the Syrian tongue, though born of the race of Heber. But it is not wonderful that he, dwelling among Syrians, should have accustomed himself to the language as well as to the manners of the Syrians. And a little before, he is twice called a Syrian; as if Moses would describe him as degenerate, and alienated from the Hebrews. But this seems by no means accordant with the previous history, where we read that the daughters of Laban gave Hebrew names to their sons. Yet the solution is not difficult; for since the affinity between these languages was great, the inflection of one word into another was easy: besides, if the wives of Jacob were tractable, it is not surprising that they should have learned his language. And beyond doubt, he would himself make a point of this matter: seeing he knew that his family was separated from the rest of the nations. Moses, in using the name of Galeed, does it proleptically; for since he was writing for his own times, he does not scruple to give it the generally received name. Moreover we hence infer, that ceremonies and rites ought to refer to that which those who use them mutually agree upon. Which rule also ought to be applied to the sacraments; because if the word by which God enters into covenant with us be taken away, useless and dead figures will alone remain.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(47) Jegar-sahadutha.These are two Syriac words of the same meaning as Gal-eed, Heap of Witness. A Syriac (or Aramaic) dialect was most probably the ordinary language of the people in Mesopotamia, but it seems plain that Laban and his family also spoke Hebrew, not merely from his calling the placo Mizpah, a Hebrew word, but from the names given by his daughters to their children.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
47. Jegar-sahadutha Galeed The Aramaic and Hebrew words, respectively, for heap of witness . yegar, or gar, is a dialectic variation of , gal, rendered heap in Gen 31:46. This incidental notice of the naming of their stone memorial shows that already, in Jacob’s time, the dialectical differences between the Aramaic and Hebrew tongues were noticeable . This was probably the origin of the name Gilead, applied to the whole range of mountains running north and south on the east of the Jordan . The particular spot where the covenant was made was probably at the northern end of the range, not at what was later known as Mizpeh of Gilead, (Jdg 11:29,) for Jacob, after this, passing southward crossed the Jabbok, (Wady Zerka,) which is itself north of the modern mount Jelad . The name Mizpah (Gen 31:49) subsequently became very common, and is applied to three other places on the east (Jos 11:3; Jdg 10:17; 1Sa 22:3) and two on the west of the Jordan . Jos 15:38; Jos 18:26.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And Laban called it Jegarsahadutha (‘heap of witness’ in Aramaic), but Jacob called it Galeed (‘heap of witness’ in Hebrew).’
This is interesting testimony to the fact that the Arameans spoke an early form of Aramaic while Abraham’s family had adopted an early form of Hebrew, which parallels Canaanite, as their mother tongue. Jacob has been using Aramaic but now resorts to Hebrew as testimony to the change that is now taking place. He is no longer an Aramean by adoption, he is an Abrahamite by birth.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The heap of witness.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Gen 31:47 And Laban called it Jegarsahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed.
Ver. 47. See Trapp on “ Gen 31:44 “
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jegar-sahadutha. Chaldaic = witness-heap.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Jegarsahadutha
Chald, the heap of witness.
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Jegarsahadutha: i.e. the heap of witness, Chald
Galeed: i.e., the heap of witness. Heb. Heb 12:1
Reciprocal: 2Sa 24:6 – Gilead Eze 47:18 – from Gilead Dan 2:4 – in
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Gen 31:47-53. But Jacob called it Galeed The name Laban gave it signifies the heap of witness, in the Syrian tongue, which he used, and Galeed signifies the same in Hebrew, the language which Jacob used. It appears that the name which Jacob gave it remained to it, and not the name which Laban gave it. And Mizpah (Gen 31:49,) This name in Hebrew signifies a watchtower. And they agreed to give it this second name to remind them and their posterity of the solemn appeal they had now mutually made to the all-seeing eye of God, whose providence watches over the actions of mankind, rewarding sincerity and punishing deceitfulness. They appeal to him, 1st, As a witness, The Lord judge between thee and me That is, the Lord take cognizance of every thing that shall be done on either side in violation of this league. 2d, As a judge. The God of Abraham, (Gen 31:53,) from whom Jacob was descended; and the God of Nahor Labans progenitor; the God of their father From whom they were both descended; judge betwixt us. Gods relation to them is thus expressed, to intimate that they worshipped one and the same God, upon which consideration there ought to be no enmity betwixt them. Those that have one God, should have one heart: God is judge between contending parties, and he will judge righteously. Whoever does wrong, it is at his peril. Jacob sware by the Fear of his father Isaac The God whom his father Isaac feared, who had never served other gods, as Abraham and Nahor had done: to this only living and true God he offered a sacrifice, (Gen 31:54,) in gratitude for the peace he had obtained with Laban.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
31:47 And Laban called it Jegarsahadutha: but Jacob called it {k} Galeed.
(k) The one named the place in the Syrian tongue, and the other in the Hebrew tongue.