Misapplied Scriptures: The "Mizpah” Moment

Full disclosure: Sermon Central has accepted and posted a complete message on this text and context called “Jacob-His Mizpah Moment”. This illustration is not an abbreviated form of that message, only a brief attempt to post some highlights. In addition, this verse/passage was featured back in the early 1980’s in a magazine series of misused Scriptures like these.

Introduction: The “Mizpah” Moment. Some of us have seen necklaces with the words of this verse on it. I’ve seen some of these that are basically split into two pieces, so that each member of the couple has part of the verse.

The problem is that the man who spoke those words had something very different in mind!

Here’s the text or verse as often used these days:

Genesis 31:49, KJV: 49And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.

1 How the verse has been misapplied, at least sometimes

As mentioned, some have used this verse as a blessing, especially when one or both members of the couple are separating for more than a brief time, like college, military service, job transfers, and so on. Sometimes each member takes half of the verse and wears it in honor of the other member; I’ve seen medallions or necklaces like this. All of this is nice, and does express a very nice sentiment. After all, what couple wouldn’t like for the Lord to watch or keep an eye on each other while they’re apart?

2 How the verse should be applied, according to the context

The context, in the last half of Genesis 31 (omitted to save space), has a much different scenario. What had happened was this: Jacob realized that Laban, his uncle and father-in-law (this was legal for first cousins to marry in those days) was not pleased with how things were turning out. Laban had toyed with Jacob for 20 years and when Jacob saw Laban’s “evil eye”, perhaps, turned towards him, Jacob figured it was time to leave.

For good.

He took his two wives, their servant girls, plus everybody and everything he had and left. Jacob didn’t say a word to Laban about this, by the way, but Laban somehow got word of what had taken place. Laban and his followers caught up with Jacob at Mount Gilead. The transcript of what each man said to each other has some very fiery language but it reflects the spirit of the age.

Each man said his piece and then Laban and Jacob came to a solution, of a sort. They agreed to make a covenant, that neither man nor group would go past this “heap” of stones (paraphrasing). Laban then spoke the words of “Mizpah”, meaning “Watchtower”, as perhaps a warning or curse, that if either party went past it, the LORD would judge between the two parties.

That doesn’t sound much like parting on good terms, to me. My personal opinion is that this was more of a parting shot: after all, Laban had plenty of followers, but we don’t know how many people were in Jacob’s company. Laban may have been saying, “You got away this time, but don’t try it again” and I believe Jacob got the message. There’s no record that there was any other or further communication between Jacob and Laban or any of the rest of the parties.

So all in all, the “Mizpah” statement could have a nice sentiment or flavor, but it was not anything like that when it was first uttered! I myself would be reluctant to use this as a blessing, or parting comment, simply knowing the original meaning and intent, but others may not share that opinion. The Word of God has many verses to use for going away thoughts and I hope we are led to use the best verse for any situation!

Scripture quotations taken from the King James Version of the Bible (KJV)