Genesis 31:47

47 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, and Jacob called it Galeed.^[a]

Genesis 31:47 in Other Translations

47 And Laban called it Jegarsahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed.

47 Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed.

47 To commemorate the event, Laban called the place Jegar-sahadutha (which means “witness pile” in Aramaic), and Jacob called it Galeed (which means “witness pile” in Hebrew).

47 Laban named it in Aramaic, Yegar-sahadutha (Witness Monument); Jacob echoed the naming in Hebrew, Galeed (Witness Monument).

47 And Laban called it Jegar-saha-dutha: but Jacob called it Galeed.

47 [In his language] Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha [Witness Pile], but Jacob called it Galeed.

47 Laban named the mound Jegar-sahadutha, but Jacob named it Galeed.

47 Laban named the pile of stones Jegar Sahadutha. Jacob named it Galeed.

Genesis 31:47 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 31:47

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, ( Genesis 25:20 ) ( Genesis 31:20 Genesis 31:24 ) , 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.

Genesis 31:47 In-Context

45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar.

46 He said to his relatives, “Gather some stones.” So they took stones and piled them in a heap, and they ate there by the heap.

47 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, and Jacob called it Galeed.

48 Laban said, “This heap is a witness between you and me today.” That is why it was called Galeed.

49 It was also called Mizpah, because he said, “May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other.

Cross References

• 1. S Genesis 21:30

Footnotes

• [a]. The Aramaic "Jegar Sahadutha" and the Hebrew "Galeed" both mean "witness heap."