And Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed.
Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha [yªgar] - a heap of stones х saahªduwtaa' (H3026)], testimony, witness. This word may be either Chaldee or Syriac, according to the vowels used. The language of Laban was that spoken in Syria. It is called Aramaean or Syrian (2 Kings 18:26; Isaiah 36:11), which is known to us in two dialects-Chaldee, and a later form, Syriac. It had probably been the native tongue of Abraham; but upon emigrating to the land of promise he adopted the language of the people of Canaan-the Canaanite or Phoenician language-which, as it was spoken by the Hebrews, we designate as "Hebrew."
But Jacob called it Galeed х Gal`eed (H1567) - a mound or hill testimony. This is Hebrew, and signifies the same thing as the name originated by Laban; but it was given by Jacob because, although familiar with the language of Laban, he was in a district of country where the Hebrew was the spoken dialect. This incident, which took place on the highest peak of Jebel-Ajlun (see the note at verse 25), gave occasion to the name Galaad, or Gilead, being applied to all the mountainous region eastward of Argob (Josephus, 'Antiquities,' b.
i., ch. 19:, sec. 11).