54. The Reconciliation: May the Lord Watch (Gen 31:43-55)

After they had argued with each other, by Laban’s suggestion, they made an agreement to entrust the issue of family safety to God. After that, they could reconcile with each other.

πŸ‘‰Read Gen 31:38-55

Verses 43-44 and 50 show Laban’s heart as a father. What was Laban’s concern for his daughters who were leaving?

 

What are the names of the stone pile?

 

They agreed not to (             ) beyond the stone pile to (                ) each other.

 

Answers & Meditation

He wanted his daughters to be happy.

Laban took the initiative to set up a pillar or stone pile. He worried about his daughters’ happy marriage life and entrusted it to God. It seemed Laban was more faithful than Jacob, who showed favoritism for Rachel over Leah.


Galeed, Jegar Sahadutha, Mizpah

The stone pile worked as a borderline between them. They agreed not to cross over it to make things right in the future when they hear a bad rumor while they are far away from each other. Instead, they would entrust it to God that He would fix the issue.

Galeed (Hewbew) & Jegar-Sahadutha (Aramaic): ‘heap of witness’

Mizpah: ‘May the Lord watch’

They resolved to trust each other and trust God.


Pass, harm

God is the final judge for our unresolvable disputes. Let Him judge, and don’t cross the line which is set by the law and the command of love.

For every unsettled dispute, we should say, “May the Lord watch and judge between us,” and reconcile each other.

Laban spoke as if he was God’s messenger. God teaches Jacob how to entrust God with the things that you cannot make sure of. 

The Bible says that this is how Jacob and Laban finally reconciled. They shared meals with each other and broke up with blessings (54-55). We can be harmonious with each other when we leave it to God without being obsessed with what we can't do.

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