John Calvin Commentary Genesis 31:47

"And Laban called it Jegar-saha-dutha: but Jacob called it Galeed." — Genesis 31:47 (ASV)

And Laban called it. Each, in his own language, gives a name with the same meaning to the heap. From this it appears that Laban used the Syrian language, though born of the lineage of Eber. But it is not surprising that he, living among Syrians, would have accustomed himself to the language as well as to the customs of the Syrians.

And a little earlier, he is twice called a Syrian, as if Moses intended to describe him as degenerate and alienated from the Hebrews. But this seems in no way consistent with the previous history, where we read that Laban's daughters gave Hebrew names to their sons. Yet the solution is not difficult, for since the similarity between these languages was great, the adaptation of one word into another was easy. Besides, if Jacob's wives were teachable, it is not surprising that they would have learned his language.

And undoubtedly, Jacob himself would have made a point of this matter, since he knew that his family was separated from the rest of the nations. Moses, in using the name Galeed, does so proleptically, for since he was writing for his own times, he does not hesitate to give it the generally accepted name.

Moreover, from this we infer that ceremonies and rites ought to refer to that which those who use them mutually agree upon. This rule also ought to be applied to the sacraments, because if the word by which God enters into covenant with us is taken away, only useless and dead figures will remain.