ON SHAKY GROUND

Genesis 31:44-49
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Jacob’s Treaty with Laban

44 So come, let’s make a covenant, you and I, and it will be a witness to our commitment.”

45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a monument. 46 Then he told his family members, “Gather some stones.” So they gathered stones and piled them in a heap. Then Jacob and Laban sat down beside the pile of stones to eat a covenant meal. 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).

48 Then Laban declared, “This pile of stones will stand as a witness to remind us of the covenant we have made today.” This explains why it was called Galeed—“Witness Pile.” 49 But it was also called Mizpah (which means “watchtower”), for Laban said, “May the Lord keep watch between us to make sure that we keep this covenant when we are out of each other’s sight.


Your word should be enough. When you make a promise, those whom you promise must be able to trust that you will do what you say.

This was not the case with Jacob and Laban. For years they had been deceitful with one another. When they sat and made covenant with each other, their past relationship and poor character tainted the covenant. Because of their distrust of each other, their failure to keep their word, they needed God to keep watch between them.

Can those you have relationships with, business … family … friends, trust you to keep your word? Or must they trust God, regarding you, when they turn their back?

“…let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.” – James 5:12