Hebrew Bible Study
Hebrew Bible Study

Commentary for Genesis 31:49

וְהַמִּצְפָּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָמַ֔ר יִ֥צֶף יְהוָ֖ה בֵּינִ֣י וּבֵינֶ֑ךָ כִּ֥י נִסָּתֵ֖ר אִ֥ישׁ מֵרֵעֵֽהוּ׃

and Mizpah, for he said: ‘The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.

Rashi on Genesis

והמצפה אשר אמר AND MIZPAH (literally, the Mizpah); BECAUSE HE SAID etc . — The word והמצפה and the Mizpah must refer to some well-known place bearing this name (for there are several places named Mizpah) it refers to the Mizpah which is in Mount Gilead — as it is written (Judges 11:29) “and he passed over Mizpah of Gilead”. Why was it also called Mizpah? Because each of them said to the other, “The Lord watch (יצף) between me and thee that thou shouldst not violate this covenant”.
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Ramban on Genesis

AND MITZPAH. Rashi comments that the meaning of the verse is: “And the Mitzpah which is on Mount Gilead, as it is written, And he passed over Mitzpah of Gilead.253Judges 11:29. Why was it called Mitzpah? Because each of them said to the other, The Eternal ‘yitzeph’ (watch).” And if so, Mitzpah is the name of a high place on top of the mountain. In my opinion, however, Mitzpah is the stone which Jacob set up for a pillar254Verse 45 here. and is connected with the above verse: Therefore was the name of it called Galed,255Verse 48 here. and he also called it the Mitzpah because he said, The Eternal watch between me and thee. It is possible that this stone is Mitzpah of Gilead,253Judges 11:29. for the place was always called by the name of this stone.
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Rashbam on Genesis

והמצפה, this lookout is referred to in Judges 11,29.
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