This heap be witness, and this pillar be witness, that I will not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm.
This pile of stones and this pillar will serve as witnesses that I will not cross over this boundary to attack you, and you will not cross over this boundary to attack me with harmful intent.
Jacob and Laban are making a peace treaty, using a pile of stones as a boundary marker to promise they won't harm each other.
📚 Historical Context
In the biblical narrative, Jacob and his father-in-law Laban had a tense relationship marked by years of deception and disputes over family and property. As Jacob decided to leave and return to his homeland, they met to settle their differences and set up a heap of stones as a physical boundary marker. This heap and pillar symbolized their covenant that neither would cross it to harm the other, serving as a witness to their mutual agreement for peace.
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