And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did eat there upon the heap.
Parallel translations
- WEB Jacob said to his relatives, “Gather stones.” They took stones, and made a heap. They ate there by the heap.
- BSB and he said to his relatives, “Gather some stones.” So they took stones and made a mound, and there by the mound they ate.
- NKJV Then Jacob said to his brethren, “Gather stones.” And they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there on the heap.
- NASB Jacob said to his relatives, “Gather stones.” So they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there by the heap.
- NLT 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.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jacob's relatives gather stones into a heap, and they share a meal beside it. The shared meal seals the covenant in fellowship.
Overview
The heap of stones formed a tangible witness to the treaty between the two parties. Eating together was a customary way to ratify a covenant and signify peace. This pattern of covenant sealed by a shared meal points forward to the table of the Lord, where believers commune in the new covenant of Christ's blood.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Eccl 3:5A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
- Gen 31:54Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount.
- Josh 4:20–24And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal.
- Gen 31:37Whereas thou hast searched all my stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff? set it here before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge betwixt us both.
- Josh 4:5–9And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of Jordan, and take you up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel:
- 2 Sam 18:17And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and laid a very great heap of stones upon him: and all Israel fled every one to his tent.
- Josh 7:26And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day.
- Gen 31:23And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days’ journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead.
- Gen 31:32With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live: before our brethren discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee. For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them.
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Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 31:46 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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