Q4. Mizpah

[Jen]

Genesis 31:44-55

The Mizpah covenant:

A stone pillar (31:45), such as Jacob had set up in Bethel.

A heap of stones (31:46-49a) which they named Mizpah (watchtower) and Galeed or Gilead (witness heap).

Calling on Yahweh as witness and guarantor of the covenant: "May the LORD keep watch between you and me...." (31:49b).

A promise from Jacob not to mistreat his wives, nor to take rival wives to displace them from their status (31:50).

A non-aggression pact: "I will not go past this heap to your side to harm you...." (31:51-52).

An oath in the name of God (31:53).

A sacrifice and fellowship/covenant meal together (31:54).

The purpose of this covenant is to remind them that there is a God in heaven who sees and hears and cares what we do to each other.

I noticed here that God rebukes Laban when he goes after Jacob but not Jacob for leaving without saying goodbye. There can be disagreements about whether Jacob should have acted differently but seeing the character of Laban I think Jacob acted prudently. Matthew Henry says bad men are more vehement in their anger than in their love. Talking to Laban would be like talking nicey nicey to a petty dictator intent only on furthering his own agenda. There would be plenty of pretty words and then back stabbing. Sometimes there are good reasons to fear and flee. There is a reason God who knows hearts tells Laban he is not to lay a hand on Jacob.

I also noticed Laban's "sudden" concern for the welfare of his daughters. He didn't seem to be concerned when he gave Leah to Jacob instead of Rachel about what the outcome would be. It seemed to me that Leah and Rachel were pitted against each other.

I have never in this whole account seen any remorse on Laban's part. Just selfish and egotistical concern for himself.

God Bless!

Jen

Numbers 6:24-26

[Gann]

Q4. (Genesis 31:44-55) What are the terms of the Mizpah Covenant?

The terms was that Jacob would not mistreat hes wives nor to marry any other wives of other places. Also that neither one would pass this place to do any harm to the other but to keep peace. An oath between both of them in the name of God that they had made this covenant.

Of what is the Mizpah monument supposed to remind Jacob and Laban?

The heap of stones which they set up and named Mizpah or (watchtower) and Galeed or Gilead (witness heap). Was to remind them of the agreement that they had made in that place and of the sincerity of the covenant between the two for they said that Yahwah be witness and guarantor of the covenant and that the Lord would keep watch between the two. The oath they made together.

[nurselaino]

Q4. (Genesis 31:44-55) What are the terms of the Mizpah Covenant? Of what is the Mizpah monument supposed to remind Jacob and Laban?

Gen 31:44 Come now, let us make a covenant, you and I. And let it be a witness between you and me."

Gen 31:45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar.

Gen 31:46 And Jacob said to his kinsmen, "Gather stones." And they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there by the heap.

Gen 31:47 Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed.

Gen 31:48 Laban said, "This heap is a witness between you and me today." Therefore he named it Galeed,

Gen 31:49 and Mizpah, for he said, "The LORD watch between you and me, when we are out of one another's sight.

Gen 31:50 If you oppress my daughters, or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no one is with us, see, God is witness between you and me."

Gen 31:51 Then Laban said to Jacob, "See this heap and the pillar, which I have set between you and me.

Gen 31:52 This heap is a witness, and the pillar is a witness, that I will not pass over this heap to you, and you will not pass over this heap and this pillar to me, to do harm.

Gen 31:53 The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us." So Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac,

Gen 31:54 and Jacob offered a sacrifice in the hill country and called his kinsmen to eat bread. They ate bread and spent the night in the hill country.

Gen 31:55 Early in the morning Laban arose and kissed his grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned home.

To begin with there was a Pillar and heap of stones to set up as a memory for the covenant being made at this time. It was then asked that the Lord would watch...keep eyes on both sides that they were following the promises being made. Even though Jacob had never seemed to mistreat Laban's daughters the first thing was that Jacob was to treat them well and not take any wives to take their places. Then agreed that neither would ever come to do harm to the other in each other's lands...this was then sworn to each respective God and a sacrifice was made and eaten together to show what I believe would be their friendship.

I believe that the Mizpah monument was to remind them that no matter what was going on outwardly and inwardly God knew there lives and their hearts and could see what they were up to and would judge accordingly since this promise was made.

[Craig]

Q4. (Genesis 31:44-55) What are the terms of the Mizpah Covenant? Of what is the Mizpah monument supposed to remind Jacob and Laban?

The Mizpah Covenant included the following terms in sum: God would guarantee the covenant. The covenant was made between Jacob and Laban before God. Jacob promised not to mistreat or never to displace them from their status as his wives. A non-aggression pact between the two men. An oath before God between the two confirming the covenant and a fellowship/covenant meal together to seal the covenant.

The stone pillar was to remind Jacob of the covenant made with Laban at Mizpah. It would stand as a witness.

[Antwan]

Q4. (Genesis 31:44-55) What are the terms of the Mizpah Covenant? Of what is the Mizpah monument supposed to remind Jacob and Laban?

The terms to the covenant of Jacob and Laban is that Jacob won't take anymore wives (leaving his daughters with their prominent position in his family and preventing anymore family rivalries than already existed) and that neither would cross the point of covenant (where they were; they marked the place for the covenant's sake) to harm one another; they used God as a witness to make sure each kept their word (that's the meaning of the word "mizpah").

[maddog]

Q4. (Genesis 31:44-55) What are the terms of the Mizpah Covenant? Of what is the Mizpah monument supposed to remind Jacob and Laban?

1. Each will not harm the other by going pass the heap (Mizpah)

2. Jacob would not marry to replace Laban's daughters for status nor mistreat them

3. God would be their witness

4. A fellowship meal to cement the covenant

The Mizpah monument identified the covenant they agreed upon: not to harm each other but be peaceable to each other.

[leihaynes]

Q4. (Genesis 31:44-55) What are the terms of the Mizpah Covenant? Of what is the Mizpah monument supposed to remind Jacob and Laban?

1. What are the terms of the Mizpah Covenant?

That God would watch over both parties when they were not together and to punish the one who broke the covenant.

2. Of what is the Mizpah monument supposed to remind Jacob and Laban?

That God is watching over them and the covenants they had made to one another.

[smurf1948]

Q4. (Genesis 31:44-55) What are the terms of the Mizpah Covenant? Jacob would not marry again and that they would not harm each other. God would watch each one to make sure they kept their promise.

Of what is the Mizpah monument supposed to remind Jacob and Laban? Of the covenant they have with each other.

[PATCH]

Q4. (Genesis 31:44-55) What are the terms of the Mizpah Covenant? Of what is the Mizpah monument supposed to remind Jacob and Laban?

What are the terms of the Mizpah Covenant?

1) Firstly Jacob set up a stone pillar

2) They took stones and made it into heap, making it a witness between the both of them

3) They called on God to be the witness of the covenant they made

4) Jacob is not to take other women as his wifes

5) Both parties will not go pass the heap to harm each other

The Mizpah Covenant was supposed to remind Jacob and Laban that even though they may be far apart from each other, they are not to break the terms of the covenant. God is their witness and He will punish the one who breaks the covenant.

[Standing On the Rock]

A4. Terms of the Mizpah covenant are as follows: Jacob promises to not mistreat his wives and neither man will do harm to the other. Also, Mizpah is established, making God himself the overseer of the covenant. God, who sees everyone and everything at all times will ensure the covenant is not broken by either man, less His wrath, with which both men are familiar, be brought upon them. The heap of stones is the physical reminded to both men, that God is indeed, omnipresent, although the men themselves may be absent from the area

[linda bass]

The terms of the Mizpah Covenant are:

1)Calling on Yahweh as witness and guarantor of the covenant

2)A promise from Jacob not to mistreat his wives,nor to take rival wives to replace them in their status

3)A non-aggression pact-the promise that neither will go past the stones to harm the other

4)An oath in the name of God

5)A sacrifice and fellowship/covenant meal together

The Mizpah monument is supposed to remind Jacob and Laban of of the covenant they had made with one another, and that God would be watching to make sure neither one broke the covenant.

[royk]

Q4. (Genesis 31:44-55) What are the terms of the Mizpah Covenant? Of what is the Mizpah monument supposed to remind Jacob and Laban?

Some elements of the covenant described:

1. Refer to the stone pillar (31:45), that Jacob had set up in Bethel.

2. The stone heap named Mizpah/watchtower (31:46-49a) also named Galeed or Gilead (witness heap).

3. Called Yahweh as witness and guarantor "May the LORD keep watch between you and me...." (31:49b).

4. Jacob should not mistreat his wives, or take rival wives (31:50).

5. non-aggression pact: "I will not go past this heap to your side to harm you...." (31:51-52).

6. oath in the name of the same God (31:53).

7. A sacrifice/fellowship/covenant meal together (31:54).

A lot was said to "assure" and protect eachother from eachother. Laban was warned by the Lord, and he was afraid to take back his normal 'control over Jacob.'

[DrD]

That Jacob would keep the terms of his marriage covenant with his wives - that neither Laban nor Jacob would do anything to harm the other and that God would be the One who would gurantee that this covenant was kept. . .

That God is watching which should cause both Jacob and Laban to keep the terms of this agreement. . .

[Guitar Jim]

Q4. (Genesis 31:44-55) What are the terms of the Mizpah Covenant?

Basically, that Jacob and Laban would leave each other alone. Jacob was not to marry any other women or mistreat his wives (Laban's daughters) or his children. The stone marker and the heap of stones were set up as a boundary marker of sorts, a demarcation line which neither parties would cross to harm the other.

Of what is the Mizpah monument supposed to remind Jacob and Laban?

That God will be watching them both so they better not break the covenant.

This parting of Jacob and Laban was the last time Abraham's seed would interact with his relatives in a cordial way. There would be no more sending the sons up to the old country to find wives for them.

[wifee]

4a)Terms i/A stone pillar called Mitzpah(watchtower) and Gilead(witness heap) ii/calling on the Lord as witness &garentor of the covenant.iii/A promise from Jacob not to mistreat his wives,nor allow subsequent wives to displace them from their status iv/ a pact not harm each other v/a vow in the name of God vi/a sacrifice and a fellowship/covenant meal together

B)The M monument reminds L & J that God is watching over their actions, & urges them not to break the terms of agreement.

[wifee]

4a)Terms i/A stone pillar called Mitzpah(watchtower) and Gilead(witness heap) ii/calling on the Lord as witness &garentor of the covenant.iii/A promise from Jacob not to mistreat his wives,nor allow subsequent wives to displace them from their status iv/ a pact not harm each other v/a vow in the name of God vi/a sacrifice and a fellowship/covenant meal together

B)The M monument reminds L & J that God is watching over their actions, & urges them not to break the terms of agreement.

[Old Jerry]

The terms of the Mizpah Covenant was that there would be a monument set up to honor God, that there would be some rocks together and call it Mizpah, Jacob was not to mistreat his wife’s, a non-aggression pact, and a fellowship meeting. And God is to watch over all this.

[Ms. Green]

Quote;

Jacob and Laban made a covenant agreement and set up a heap of stones as a watchtower of witness to the act, naming it Mizpah. The covenant was established under the watchful eye of the LORD as their witness, who would oversee adherence to the terms of the agreement even when the two men parted ways. With this covenant, they called a "cease-fire" and promised not to make any aggressive moves toward each other. Laban called on Jacob to remember that the way his daughters were treated would also be under God's scrutiny. 

The literal heap of rocks established a boundary and each man agreed not to cross to the other side for the purpose of harm. In spiritual terms, the rocks represented the fact that the LORD was watching each of them and would hold them each accountable for any violations of the covenant. (And I think Jacob probably swore his oath by the "Dread and Fear of his father Isaac" for the last reason mentioned in the lesson. It was a subtle warning not to mess with him, for the God of Laban's brother-in-law would have a dreadful and fearful response to any breach by Laban - who had thus far proven himself untrustworthy in keeping the agreements he made.)

[Irmela]

Q4. (Genesis 31:44-55)

What are the terms of the Mizpah Covenant?

Of what is the Mizpah monument supposed to remind Jacob and Laban?

That Jacob would not take other wives to humiliate Laban's daughters. That he would treat them respectfully.

Neither Jacob nor Laban would pass the heap of stones or the pillar raised, to harm the other.

The monument was to remind them that God is witness of their actions.