King James Version
Genesis 31:48 in the King James Version says “And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed;” — study this verse from Genesis chapter 31 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.
“And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed;”
Genesis 31:48 · KJV
And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did eat there upon the heap.
And Laban called it Jegarsahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed. Jegarsahadutha: that is, The heap of witness, Chaldee Galeed: that is, The heap of witness, Heb.
And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. 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: that is, A beacon, or, watchtower
If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take other wives beside my daughters, no man is with us; see, God is witness betwixt me and thee.
KJV Study — Public Domain
“This heap”
H1530something rolled, i.e., a heap of stone or dung (plural ruins), by analogy, a spring of water (plural waves)
“is a witness”
H5707concretely, a witness; abstractly, testimony; specifically, a recorder, i.e., prince
between (repeated before each noun, often with other particles); also as a conjunction, either...or
between (repeated before each noun, often with other particles); also as a conjunction, either...or
“between me and thee this day”
H3117a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
properly, set upright; hence (figuratively as adjective) just; but usually (as adverb or conjunction) rightly or so (in various applications to manner
“of it called”
H7121to call out to (i.e., properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)
“Therefore was the name”
H8034an appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character
This verse is found in the book of Genesis. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.
Genesis 31:48 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.
Verses related to Genesis 31:48 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge