Genesis 31 44

Genesis 31:44 kjv

Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee.

Genesis 31:44 nkjv

Now therefore, come, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it be a witness between you and me."

Genesis 31:44 niv

Come now, let's make a covenant, you and I, and let it serve as a witness between us."

Genesis 31:44 esv

Come now, let us make a covenant, you and I. And let it be a witness between you and me."

Genesis 31:44 nlt

So come, let's make a covenant, you and I, and it will be a witness to our commitment."

Genesis 31 verses

Genesis 31 44 meaning

Genesis 31:44 presents Laban's proposition to Jacob for the establishment of a formal covenant between them, marked by a physical monument and God as their ultimate witness. This covenant aimed to secure peace and define boundaries for their future interactions after their long-standing familial and economic strife, ensuring a separation that was mutually recognized and protected by a divine oath.

Genesis 31 44 Context

Genesis 31:44 occurs at a pivotal moment in the narrative of Jacob's flight from Laban. After Jacob secretly departed with his family and possessions, Laban pursued him for seven days. Upon catching up, Laban confronted Jacob, initially angered by Jacob's secretive departure and the theft of his household gods (teraphim). However, God had warned Laban in a dream not to harm Jacob (Gen 31:24). This divine intervention likely defused Laban's hostile intentions and redirected his focus towards formalizing their separation. Following Jacob's defense and Laban's search for the teraphim, which Rachel cleverly concealed, a temporary truce is established. Verse 44 marks Laban's initiative to convert this truce into a formal, binding treaty or covenant (Hebrew: bĕrît), reflecting a common practice in the ancient Near East where agreements between parties, especially leaders of families or clans, were formalized to ensure peace, define territories, and establish mutual non-aggression. This agreement served to set boundaries for both Jacob's departure and Laban's family interaction, demonstrating a shift from animosity to a guarded peace based on mutual obligations witnessed by God.

Genesis 31 44 Word analysis

• Now: This introductory particle often marks a shift or transition in the narrative, indicating that something new and significant is about to be proposed or happen. It draws attention to Laban’s important declaration following the heated confrontation.
• come: (Hebrew: לְכָה, ləḵāh). This is an imperative verb, serving as an invitation or exhortation. It signifies Laban taking the initiative in suggesting a binding agreement, signaling a move towards resolution rather than continued conflict.
• let us make a covenant: (Hebrew: נִכְרְתָה בְרִית, nīḵrĕṯāh bĕrît). The verb nīḵrĕṯāh comes from kārat (to cut), literally meaning "let us cut a covenant." This idiom is pervasive throughout the Old Testament for establishing covenants, reflecting the ancient practice of cutting animals in two and passing between the pieces, symbolizing that the covenant-breakers would meet a similar fate.
  • Covenant (בְרִית, bĕrît): A binding agreement between two parties. In the ancient Near East, covenants could be between nations, individuals, or a king and his subjects. This specific bĕrît between Jacob and Laban is a parity treaty, a treaty between equals, designed to ensure peace, establish boundaries, and include specific stipulations and curses/blessings. Its legal force relies on divine witnessing and the invoked consequences for breaking it. This term highlights the serious and enduring nature of the proposed agreement.
• I and you: This direct pairing emphasizes the bilateral nature of the covenant, confirming it is an agreement directly between Laban and Jacob as distinct parties, representing their respective households/descendants. It marks a formalization of their relationship moving forward, distinct from their past family dynamic.
• and let it be a witness: (Hebrew: וִיהִי עֵד, wîhî ʿēḏ).
  • Let it be (וִיהִי, wîhî): A future-oriented command, indicating the intended function of the covenant.
  • witness (עֵד, ʿēḏ): The term refers to testimony or evidence. In this context, it signifies that the covenant itself, and subsequently the heap of stones and pillar (v. 45-48), will serve as a physical and symbolic reminder of the agreement. It bears witness to their mutual promise and defines future behavior. It also implies a divine witness, as seen in subsequent verses (31:49-50, 53), making the covenant enforceable by higher powers. This contrasts with simple verbal agreements, elevating its gravity.
• between you and me: Reiteration of the specific parties involved, reinforcing the mutual and binding nature of the agreement. This covenant is clearly defined as regulating their relationship.

Genesis 31 44 Bonus section

The concept of bĕrît (covenant) is a foundational theological theme throughout the Bible. Here, we see a human-initiated, bilateral covenant between individuals, albeit prompted by divine intervention on Laban’s part. While distinct from the unilateral, unconditional covenants God makes with humanity (e.g., Noahic, Abrahamic, Davidic), this interaction provides an important backdrop. It highlights the biblical worldview where promises are serious and require witness—often a divine one. The subsequent naming of the heap "Jegar-sahadutha" (Aramaic, meaning "heap of witness") by Laban and "Galeed" (Hebrew, meaning "heap of witness") by Jacob underscores linguistic and cultural distinctiveness even in shared agreement, yet both agree on the monument's core purpose: a lasting witness. This passage serves as a reminder of the practical role of formal agreements in conflict resolution and the importance of appealing to a higher authority for their enduring validity.

Genesis 31 44 Commentary

Genesis 31:44 captures the pivotal moment where Laban initiates a covenant with Jacob, seeking to formalize their separation and establish peace. After days of tension, pursuit, and confrontation, Laban's proposal marks a pragmatic turn. The phrase "let us make a covenant" underscores the ancient ritual of "cutting" a treaty, signifying its binding, life-or-death seriousness. This was not a casual handshake but a solemn agreement with explicit stipulations, and most crucially, it was placed under the vigilant oversight of a divine witness, namely God himself, whom both Laban and Jacob implicitly or explicitly acknowledged in this context (later elaborated as "the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor," Gen 31:53). The covenant and its future monument served not merely as a boundary marker, but as an ever-present reminder and a divine guarantor of peace and non-aggression between their respective descendants. It reflects the theological understanding that covenants, even among humans, ultimately rely on divine testimony and enforcement. This passage exemplifies ancient Near Eastern treaty patterns and sets the stage for the distinct geographical and relational future of Jacob and Laban's families.