Genesis 31:47 - Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

Bible Comments

‘And Laban called it Jegarsahadutha (‘heap of witness' in Aramaic), but Jacob called it Galeed (‘heap of witness' in Hebrew).'

This is interesting testimony to the fact that the Arameans spoke an early form of Aramaic while Abraham's family had adopted an early form of Hebrew, which parallels Canaanite, as their mother tongue. Jacob has been using Aramaic but now resorts to Hebrew as testimony to the change that is now taking place. He is no longer an Aramean by adoption, he is an Abrahamite by birth.

Genesis 31:47

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