Genesis 31:24
22 On the third day Laban was informed that Jacob had fled.
23 So he took his relatives with him, pursued Jacob for seven days, and overtook him in the hill country of Gilead.
But that night God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream and warned him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”
25 Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead when Laban overtook him, and Laban and his relatives camped there as well.
26 Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done? You have deceived me and carried off my daughters like captives of war!
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- But that night God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream and warned him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”
- KJV
- And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
- WEB
- God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream of the night, and said to him, “Be careful that you don’t speak to Jacob either good or bad.”
- ASV
- And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream of the night, and said unto him, Take heed to thyself that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
- DARBY
- And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said to him, Take care thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
- BLB
- And God came to Laban the Aramaean in a dream of the night and said to him, “Guard yourself, lest you speak to Jacob from good to evil.”
- ÅB
- Men Gud kom til arameeren Laban i en drøm om natten og sa til ham: Vokt deg og si ikke noe til Jakob, hverken godt eller ondt!
- OTB
- Men Gud kom til arameeren Laban i en drøm om natten og sa: «Vær forsiktig med ikke å tale til Jakob verken godt eller ondt.»
- B1930
- Men Gud kom til arameeren Laban i en drøm om natten og sa til ham: Vokt dig og si ikke noget til Jakob, hverken godt eller ondt!
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Genesis 24:50
Laban and Bethuel answered, “This is from the LORD; we have no choice in the matter.
Read in contextGenesis 20:3
One night, however, God came to Abimelech in a dream and told him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman.”
Read in contextGenesis 31:29
I have power to do you great harm, but last night the God of your father said to me, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’
Read in contextNumbers 24:13
that even if Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the LORD? I will speak whatever the LORD says.
Read in contextGenesis 31:42
If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, surely by now you would have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my affliction and the toil of my hands, and last night He rendered judgment.”
Read in context2 Samuel 13:22
And Absalom never said a word to Amnon, either good or bad, because he hated Amnon for disgracing his sister Tamar.
Read in contextMatthew 27:19
While Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message: “Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered terribly in a dream today because of Him.”
Read in context1 Kings 3:5
One night at Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “Ask, and I will give it to you!”
Read in context