And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.
49. Mizpah ] That is, The watch-tower. Cf. Jdg 11:29, “Mizpeh of Gilead,” and Gen 31:34, “Mizpah.” Probably a common name for a height. The mention of this name comes in very abruptly at this point, and may be a gloss. The Sam. reads mabah, LXX = “the vision.” It has been suggested that the high point here indicated might be the Rammath-mizpeh of Jos 13:25, or the Mizpah in Gilead of Jdg 11:11. A third name for “the heap of stones” is very awkward, and the grammar barely tolerable. The text has undergone some dislocation.
The Lord ] LXX . Jehovah is the third party in the solemn contract: He is witness; He will uphold the right, and punish the violator of the bond; cf. Gen 16:5.
between me and thee ] The cairn on the hill is to be the witness of the covenant between two sets of people separated at a distance from one another, and tempted to take advantage of one another. The popular use of the word Mizpah, based on this verse, ignores the context, and, in particular, Gen 31:50. God is here invoked, because of the mutual distrust of the two parties, to watch lest one or the other should violate the compact.
absent ] Heb. hidden, i.e. “separated and out of sight.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Gen 31:49-55
The Lord watch between me and thee.
—
Lessons
1. Injurious persons are most apt to suspect the innocent for doing wrong.
2. Wicked men would not have others wrong their children though they do it themselves.
3. Nature denieth polygamy though mens lusts design and plead for it.
4. Want of human witness to require fealty is no ground of breaking covenant security.
5. God Himself is witness to the covenants of men, and will see right to be done by them or judge for it.
6. The most fraudulent men may be strict upon others to press on them the testimony of God (Gen 31:50). (G. Hughes, B. D.)
Lessons
1. Treacherous, deceitful men are most fearful of hurt pursuing them. So Laban.
2. Guilty fear makes men solicitous and intent to save themselves.
3. Sinful solicitousness for safety is full of words to little purpose (Gen 31:51).
4. Jealousy groundless contents not itself with Gods witness, but will have visible assurance.
5. Wickedness may sometimes be content not to do harm to others when it is afraid itself.
6. The most injurious are most solicitous to secure themselves from the innocent, who think no harm unto them (Gen 31:52). (G. Hughes, B. D.)
Lessons
1. An oath of God is a just means of confirmation to a lawful covenant for setting things out of doubt.
2. Superstitious men, though convinced of the true way of God, yet worship and swear in old corrupt ways.
3. Oaths taken by false gods, or the true in false ways, are yet binding.
4. in making peace with idolaters it is lawful to take their corrupt swearing, but net to follow it.
5. True saints, when called to swear, must do it in the true fear of the true God.
6. It is just for saints to glorify God by swearing in just cases and making Him Judge (Gen 31:53). (G. Hughes, B. D.)
Lessons
1. It is suitable unto a day of peacemaking for Gods servants to make a feast.
2. The spirits of good men are free and ingenious even to such as have been adversaries to them.
3. Friendly invitations and communion are the best issue of hot debates.
4. The power of God so overrules as to make persecutors sleep under the shelter of such whom they have oppressed (Gen 31:54). (G. Hughes, B. D.)
Lessons
1. The purposes of wicked men are not in their own hands to effect them. Laban goeth changed home.
2. Furious pursuits of the innocent God turneth to early departures of their enemies.
3. Overruling Providence can make unnatural men show natural affection.
4. Wicked men are convinced there cometh good to men only from the blessing of God.
5. Ungodly ones may use forms of blessing when yet they can procure none from God.
6. God turns oppressors to their own with rebukes who thirsted after the possessions of the innocent (Gen 31:55). So God delivereth His out of temptations. (G. Hughes, B. D.)
Mizpah
I. The ordinary use of this word is not quite the same as its original use. It is generally used as a kind of bond or link between parted friends; whereas it was first used as a SAFEGUARD AND WARNING between two men who were in some sort enemies, or, at least, but doubtful friends, and one of them very suspicious of the other.
1. When two men part, as Laban and Jacob parted, and their circumstances are such that, while absent from one another, one of them, or perhaps each of them, will have it in his power to injure the other in any way, in such a case let this word act as a wholesome warning: Mizpah, a beacon or watch-tower. The Lord Himself is such. He overlooks all.
2. A servant must often be free from the ken of master or mistress. But there is an eye on that servant always–the all-seeing eye of God. He stands as a watch-tower between servant and master or mistress, marking and judging how each fulfils his part. Is the master or mistress kind, just, considerate? Is the servant faithful and true, honest, upright, diligent?
3. Men have many dealings with one another in business. The Lord stands and overlooks each bargain.
II. But though the original application of the word was such, yet it may very well be applied also in that other way in which it is so often used. When those who love one another are called to part–when friends, for instance, go from each other, when brothers and sisters separate, when children leave home, when even a husband is called to a distance, perhaps to a foreign land, and that for a long time–it is A GREAT COMFORT to remember that the Lord is as a watch-tower between those thus parted. The closest and dearest of all bonds is that of having one Father, one Saviour, one Spirit, one hope now, one eternal home hereafter. Those thus united are hardly absent, even when parted in the body. (F. Bourdillon, M. A.)
Mizpah tokens
Tokens and memorials are not without use. The Mizpah on seal or ring, on locket or in book, may well bring to mind those absent, and even serve to draw the thoughts to God. The daughter, whose home is among strangers, will think of the fond mother who made that parting gift, and whose wish and prayer seems to be contained in that little word. The son, far off in a foreign land, carries with him a memorial of the same kind; and when he reads that word his thoughts go back to the home of his childhood, a father and mothers loving words and earnest prayers come back to his mind, his heart is softened, and he remembers Him who is above all, whose eye is in every place, and now watches over both him and those at home. (F. Bourdillon, M. A.)
.
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 48. – 49. I think these two verses are badly divided, and should be read thus:
Ver. 48. And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day.
Ver. 49. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed and Mizpah; for he said, The Lord watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.
Mizpah] mitspah signifies a watch-tower; and Laban supposes that in consequence of the consecration of the place, and the covenant now solemnly made and ratified, that God would take possession of this heap, and stand on it as on a watch-tower, to prevent either of them from trenching on the conditions of their covenant.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And Mizpah,…. Which being an Hebrew word, it looks as if the heap had also this name given it by Jacob, which signifies a “watch” or “watchtower”; though, by what follows, it seems to be given by Laban, who could speak Hebrew as well, as Syriac, or Chaldee:
for he said, the Lord watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another; or “hid one from another” q; when being at a distance, they could not see each other, or what one another did in agreement or disagreement with their present covenant: but he intimates, that the Lord sees and knows all things, and therefore imprecates that God would watch over them both, them and their actions, and bring upon them the evil or the good, according as their actions were, or as they broke or kept this covenant.
q “abscondemur”, Montanus, Vatablus, Drusius; “absconditi erimus”, Junius Tremellius, Piscator so Ainsworth.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
49. The Lord watch between me and thee. Laban commits to the judgment of God, for vengeance, whatever offense either of them should be guilty of against the other in his absence; as if he would say, “Though the knowledge of the injury should not reach me, because I shall be far distant, yet the Lord, who is everywhere present, will behold it.” Which sentiment he more clearly expresses afterwards, when he says, “No one is with us; God will be witness between me and thee.” By which words he means, that God will be a severe avenger of every wickedness, though there should be no judge upon earth to decide the cause. And certainly if there were any religion flourishing within us, the presence of God would influence us far more than the observation of men. But it arises from the brutal stupidity of our flesh, that we reverence men only; as if we might mock God with impunity, when we are not convicted by the testimony of men. If, then, this common feeling of nature dictated to Laban, that the frauds which were hidden from men would come into judgment before God; we who enjoy the light of the gospel should indeed be ashamed to seek a covert for our fallacies. Hence also, we gather the legitimate use of an oath, which the Apostle declares in his epistle to the Hebrews; namely, that men, in order to put an end to their controversies, resort to the judgment of God.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(49) Mizpah.That is, Watchtower. There is, probably, a play in this name upon the pillar which Laban proceeds to set up, and which in Hebrew is Mazebah. In the reason given for the name Labau calls Jacobs God Jehovah, an appellation which he must have learned from Jacob. and which proves not merely that he had some knowledge of Hebrew but that he and Jacob had talked together upon religious subjects, and that he was not a mere idolater, though he did call the teraphim his gods.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Mizpah signifies a watch tower.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Gen 31:49 And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.
Ver. 49. See Trapp on “ Gen 31:44 “
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Mizpah. Hebrew watch-tower.
he. i.e. Laban. So that he knew Hebrew as well as Chaldee.
the LORD. Laban also uses the name Jehovah. It is used by all the speakers in Genitive except the Nachash (Genesis 3), Abimelech (when speaking to Abram, not to Isaac), the sons of Heth, Pharaoh, Joseph’s brethren, and Joseph himself.
absent. Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), App-6= Hebrew hidden, put for absent.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Mizpah: i.e. a beacon, or watch-tower, Jdg 10:17, Jdg 11:11, Jdg 11:29, Mizpeh, 1Sa 7:5, 1Ki 15:22, Hos 5:1
Reciprocal: Gen 26:28 – Let there Jos 11:3 – land Jos 13:26 – Ramathmizpeh Jos 15:38 – Mizpeh 2Ki 25:23 – Mizpah
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
31:49 And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD {l} watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.
(l) To punish the trespasser.