THE REAL MEANING OF MIZPAH

THE REAL MEANING OF MIZPAH

In the Hebrew language, the word “mizpah” literally means ‘watch tower’ or ‘look-out.’  This term has evolved over time (in common usage) and is now taken by many people to mean ‘blessing.’  However, that is an entirely inaccurate definition for the term, mizpah.   Unfortunately, mizpah is often confused with the word “mitzvah,” which refers to a collection of 613 biblical precepts describing the religious and moral conduct of Jews (or) any good or praiseworthy deed.   Let’s take a closer look at the biblical context and historical significance of that word, mizpah.  Actually, it originated out of a major disagreement between Jacob and his uncle, Laban.  They resolved their situation (at least semi-peacefully) by the institution of a mizpah.

Genesis 31:44-49 (King James Version)

⁴⁴ Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee.

⁴⁵ And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar.

⁴⁶ And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did eat there upon the heap.

⁴⁷ And Laban called it Jegarsahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed.

⁴⁸ And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed;

⁴⁹ And Mizpah; for he said, The Lord watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.

It’s important to review the back-story of the eventual split in the family of Jacob and Laban.  It goes like this.  Isaac and Rebekah named the second-born of their twin sons, “Jacob,” which means ‘usurper’ or ‘deceiver.’  God later renamed him “Israel,” which means ‘he struggles with God.’  Of course, Jacob’s paternal grandparents were Abraham and Sarah.  Laban was the son of Bethuel, the son of Nahor, Abraham’s brother. He lived in Haran, a city in Mesopotamia, which today is part of Syria. Laban’s sister was Rebekah, who married Isaac, Jacob’s father.  Therefore, Laban was Jacob’s uncle.

Their family struggles began when Jacob and his mother, Rebekah, tricked Isaac into bestowing upon Jacob the blessing that was the birthright of this first-born twin brother, Esau.  Foolishly, Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for a mere bowl of stew.   When Jacob fled to Haran, and it wasn’t long before he and Uncle Laban began looking for ways to get the best of each other.  First of all, Jacob agreed to work seven years to marry Laban's daughter Rachel, but when the time was completed, Laban pulled a honeymoon-night switch and he wound up with Leah.  Jacob had to spend another seven years of indentured servitude to marry his true love, Rachel.

Over the course of 14 years, all of the children of Jacob were born, the future heads of the 12 tribes of Israel.  After those years of service had ended, Jacob wanted to take his two wives and return home, but Laban convinced him to remain for six more years to tend his flocks.  This was a very costly mistake for Laban. During that time, Laban treated Jacob badly and changed his wages ten times.  But Jacob’s strange-but-effective management of the flocks resulted in Jacob becoming far more wealthy than Laban, all at the expense of his uncle.  The end result was that Jacob bankrupted Laban.

Major division in the family resulted when Laban’s sons began saying that, “Jacob has taken all that was our father’s; and from what was our father’s he has gained all this wealth.” (Genesis 31:1, ESV).  Fearing that some hostile action would be taken against him by his cousins and his uncle, Jacob fled suddenly with his family and newly acquired wealth.

Three days later, Laban discovered that Jacob had fled, and because Jacob had to move slowly with his large family and flocks, Laban caught up to him.  Although Laban may have originally planned to harm Jacob and take back his daughters, grandchildren and flocks, God intervened and warned Laban not to do anything to Jacob.  With God watching, Jacob and Laban’s final parting was not all that friendly, but at least it was semi-peaceful.  Three translations of the mizpah covenant are included below.  The second and third translations clearly indicate that the mizpah originated out of basic skepticism between the two family members.  The parting of Jacob and Laban commenced a covenant of sorts, but it was one that was based so much on distrust that there was a need for God, Himself, to be the continual watch tower and look-out over their broken relationship. 

Genesis 31:49 (King James Version)

⁴⁹ And Mizpah; for he said, The Lord watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.

Genesis 31:49 (English Standard Version)
And Mizpah, for he said, “The LORD watch between you and me, when we are out of one another’s sight.”

Genesis 31:49 (International Standard Version)
It was also called Mizpah, because Laban said, “May the LORD watch between you and me, when we are estranged from each other.”

The covenant of Jacob and Laban implies that The Lord, who sees and knows all, would continually watch over them (and their actions) and that The Lord  would bring upon each person either evil or good, depending on whether they would keep or break their covenant.  We conclude from the foregoing series of events that the mizpah was not originally designed nor intended to be a blessing.  So, before you offer the mizpah as a prayer-of-benediction, you must be aware of its true meaning and intent.  My sisters and brothers, today I wish for you a mitzvah …not a mizpah!