Genesis 31:23

31:23 So he took his relatives ¹  with him and pursued Jacob ²  for seven days. ³  He caught up with ⁴  him in the hill country of Gilead.

Genesis 31:25

31:25 Laban overtook Jacob, and when Jacob pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead, Laban and his relatives set up camp there too. ⁵ 

Genesis 31:48-49

31:48 Laban said, “This pile of stones is a witness of our agreement ⁶  today.” That is why it was called Galeed. 31:49 It was also called Mizpah ⁷  because he said, “May the Lord watch ⁸  between us ⁹  when we are out of sight of one another. ¹⁰ 

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¹ tn Heb “his brothers.”

² tn Heb “him”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

³ tn Heb “and he pursued after him a journey of seven days.”

⁴ tn Heb “drew close to.”

⁵ tn Heb “and Jacob pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban pitched with his brothers in the hill country of Gilead.” The juxtaposition of disjunctive clauses (note the pattern conjunction + subject + verb in both clauses) indicates synchronism of action.

⁶ tn Heb “a witness between me and you.”

⁷ tn Heb “and Mizpah.”

⁸ sn 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.

⁹ tn Heb “between me and you.”

¹⁰ tn Heb “for we will be hidden, each man from his neighbor.”