Genesis 31 · Verse 24

Genesis 31:24

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.
Genesis 31:24, King James Version

Genesis 31:24 in other translations

BSBBut 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.”
WEBGod 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.”
ASVAnd 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.
YLTAnd God cometh in unto Laban the Aramaean in a dream of the night, and saith to him, ‘Take heed to thyself lest thou speak with Jacob from good unto evil.'
DARBYAnd 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.
BBEThen God came to Laban in a dream by night, and said to him, Take care that you say nothing good or bad to Jacob.
WebsterAnd God came to Laban, the Syrian, in a dream by night, and said to him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.

What does Genesis 31:24 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Genesis 31:22-24

Ge 31:22-55. Laban Pursues Jacob--Their Covenant at Gilead. 22-24. it was told Laban on the third day--No sooner did the news reach Laban than he set out in pursuit, and he being not encumbered, advanced rapidly; whereas Jacob, with a young family and numerous flocks, had to march slowly, so that he overtook the fugitives after seven days' journey as they lay encamped on the brow of mount Gilead, an extensive range…

Read the full comment on Genesis 31:22-24 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 24 And God came to Laban - God's caution to Laban was of high importance to Jacob - Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad; or rather, as is the literal meaning of the Hebrew, מטוב עד רע mittob ad ra, from good to evil; for had he neither spoken good nor evil to Jacob, they could have had no intercourse at all. The original is, therefore, peculiarly appropriate; for when people meet, the language at first is the language of friendship; the command therefore implies, "Do not begin with Peace be unto thee, and then proceed to injurious language and acts of violence." If this Divine direction were attended to, how many of those affairs of honor, so termed, which commence with, "I hope you are well" - "I am infinitely glad to see you" - "I am happy to see you well," etc., and end with small swords and pistol bullets, would be prevented! Where God and true religion act, all is fair, kind, honest, and upright; but where these are not consulted, all is hollow, deceitful, or malicious. Beware of unmeaning compliments, and particularly of saying what thy heart feels not. God hates a hypocrite and a deceiver.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 31:22-35

God can put a bridle in the mouth of wicked men, to restrain their malice, though he do not change their hearts. Though they have no love to God's people, they will pretend to it, and try to make a merit of necessity. Foolish Laban! to call those things his gods which could be stolen! Enemies may steal our goods, but not our God. Here Laban lays to Jacob's charge things that he knew not. Those who commit their cause…

Read the full comment on Genesis 31:22-35 →

Genesis 31:24 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיָּבֹ֧אvai.ya.Vo'and he cameH935
אֱלֹהִ֛ים'E.lo.HimGodH430
אֶל\־'el-toH413
לָבָ֥ןla.VanLabanH3837
הָאֲרַמִּ֖יha.'a.ra.Mithe ArameanH761
בַּחֲלֹ֣םba.cha.Lomin [the] dream ofH2472
הַלָּ֑יְלָהha.La.ye.lahthe nightH3915
וַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
ל֗וֹloto <the> him
הִשָּׁ֧מֶרhi.Sha.mertake heedH8104
לְךָ֛le.Khato <the> yourself
פֶּן\־pen-lestH6435
תְּדַבֵּ֥רte.da.Beryou should speakH1696
עִֽם\־'im-withH5973
יַעֲקֹ֖בya.'a.KoJacobH3290
מִטּ֥וֹבmi.Tovfrom goodH2896
עַד\־'ad-untoH5704
רָֽע\׃Ra'badH7451

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Genesis 31:24

  • Genesis 24:50

    Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the Lord: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.

  • Genesis 20:3

    But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man’s wife.

  • Genesis 31:29

    It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.

  • Numbers 24:13

    If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what the Lord saith, that will I speak?

  • Genesis 31:42

    Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.

  • 2 Samuel 13:22

    And Absalom spake unto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad: for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.

  • Matthew 27:19

    When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.

  • 1 Kings 3:5

    In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.

  • Matthew 1:20

    But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

  • Job 33:15-17

    In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed; Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man.

  • Genesis 28:5

    And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to Padan–aram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob’s and Esau’s mother.

  • Numbers 22:26

    And the angel of the Lord went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the Syrian.
28:5; De 26:5; Ho 12:12
dream.
10,29; 20:3; 40:5; 41:1; Nu 12:6; 22:20,26; 1Ki 3:5; Job 33:15-17,25
Mt 1:20; 2:12; 27:19
Take heed.
42; 24:50; Nu 24:13; 2Sa 13:22; Ps 105:14,15; Isa 37:29
either good or bad. Heb. from good to bad.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Genesis 31:23

    And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days’ journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead.

  • Genesis 31:24

    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.

  • Genesis 31:25

    Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead.

Read all of Genesis 31

Genesis 31:24 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y vino Dios á Labán Arameo en sueños aquella noche, y le dijo: Guárdate que no hables á Jacob descomedidamente.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Dieu vint vers Laban, l’Araméen, dans un songe, la nuit, et lui dit: Garde-toi de parler à Jacob, ni en bien, ni en mal.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Gott kam zu Laban, dem Aramäer, in einem Traume der Nacht und sprach zu ihm: Hüte dich, daß du mit Jakob weder Gutes noch Böses redest!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Viditque in somnis dicentem sibi Deum: Cave ne quidquam aspere loquaris contra Jacob.