^31:48Laban said, “This pile of stones is a witness of our agreement¹⁰³ today.” That is why it was called Galeed. ^31:49It was also called Mizpah¹⁰⁴ because he said, “May the Lord watch¹⁰⁵ between us¹⁰⁶ when we are out of sight of one another.¹⁰⁷

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Footnotes

101 Jegar Sahadutha. Laban the Aramean gave the place an Aramaic name which means “witness pile” or “the pile is a witness.”
102 Galeed also means “witness pile” or “the pile is a witness,” but this name is Canaanite or Western Semitic and closer to later Hebrew. Jacob, though certainly capable of speaking Aramaic, here prefers to use the western dialect.
103 Heb “a witness between me and you.”
104 Heb “and Mizpah.”
105 The name Mizpah (מִצְפָּה, mitspah), which means “watchpost,” sounds like the verb translated “may he watch” (יִצֶף, yitsef). Neither Laban nor Jacob felt safe with each other, and so they agreed to go their separate ways, trusting the Lord to keep watch at the border. Jacob did not need this treaty, but Laban, perhaps because he had lost his household gods, felt he did.
106 Heb “between me and you.”
107 Heb “for we will be hidden, each man from his neighbor.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed. Laban said, “This heap is a witness between you and me today.” Therefore he named it Galeed, and Mizpah, for he said, “The Lord watch between you and me, when we are out of one another’s sight.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

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

Laban said, “This heap is a witness between you and me today.” That is why it was called Galeed. It was also called Mizpah, because he said, “May the Lord keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

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

Then Laban said, “This mound is a witness between you and me today.” Therefore the place was called Galeed and also Mizpah, for he said, “May the Lord watch between you and me when we are out of each other’s sight.

NLTNew Living Translation

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).

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.” 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.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed. Then Laban said, “This pile of stones is a witness between me and you today.” Therefore its name is called Galeed, and Mizpah, because he said, “Yahweh watch between me and you when we are out of sight of each other.

KJV 1900King James Version

And Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed. And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed; And Mizpah; for he said, The Lord watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.

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