Genesis 31:24

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night and said to him, 'Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.'

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיָּבֹ֧א אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶל־לָבָ֥ן הָאֲרַמִּ֖י בַּחֲלֹ֣ם הַלָּ֑יְלָה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ הִשָּׁ֧מֶר לְךָ֛ פֶּן־תְּדַבֵּ֥ר עִֽם־יַעֲקֹ֖ב מִטּ֥וֹב עַד־רָֽע׃

Transliteration

wa-yābōʾ ʾĔlōhîm to-Lābān hā-ʾărammî in ḥălôm the-laylâ wa-yōʾmer to him, hiššāmer to you pen-tĕdabbēr with-Yaʿăqōb from-good until-bad.

Grammar Details

• *wa-yābōʾ*: conjunction + qal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - and he came/appeared
• *ʾĔlōhîm*: common noun, masculine plural with singular meaning - God
• *Lābān*: proper noun with preposition - to Laban
• *hā-ʾărammî*: definite article + gentilic adjective, masculine singular - the Aramean/Syrian
• *ḥălôm*: common noun, masculine singular with prefix preposition - in dream/vision
• *laylâ*: common noun, masculine singular with definite article - the night
• *wa-yōʾmer*: conjunction + qal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - and he said
• *hiššāmer*: niphal imperative, 2nd masculine singular - be on guard/take care/beware
• *pen*: conjunction - lest/that not
• *tĕdabbēr*: piel imperfect, 2nd masculine singular - you speak/say
• *Yaʿăqōb*: proper noun with prefix preposition - with Jacob

Word Meanings

• *hiššāmer* *lĕkā*: take care for yourself/guard yourself/beware
• *mittôb* *ʿad*-*rāʿ*: from good to bad/anything at all/either good or bad
• *ḥălôm*: dream/vision/night vision

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  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.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said to him, Beware that you speak not to Jacob either good or bad.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  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.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And God{H430} came{H935} to Laban{H3837} the Syrian{H761} in a dream{H2472} of the night,{H3915} and said{H559} unto him, Take heed{H8104} to thyself that thou speak{H1696} not to{H5973} Jacob{H3290} either good{H2896} or{H5704} bad.{H7451}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And God{H430} came{H935}{(H8799)} to Laban{H3837} the Syrian{H761} in a dream{H2472} by night{H3915}, and said{H559}{(H8799)} unto him, Take heed{H8104}{(H8734)} that thou speak{H1696}{(H8762)} not to{H5973} Jacob{H3290} either good{H2896} or{H5704} bad{H7451}.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  And God came to Laba the Siria in a dreame by nyghte and sayde vnto him: take hede to thi selfe that thou speake not to Iacob oughte save good.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  But God came vnto Laban the Syrian in a dreame by night, & sayde vnto him: Be warre, that thou speake nothinge to Iacob but good.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And God came to Laban the Aramite in a dreame by night, and sayde vnto him, Take heede that thou speake not to Iaakob ought saue good.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dreame by nyght, and sayd vnto him: take heede that thou speake not to Iacob ought saue good.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  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.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  God came to Laban, the Syrian, in a dream of the night, and said to him, "Take heed to yourself that you don't speak to Jacob either good or bad."

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And 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.'

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  Then God came to Laban in a dream by night, and said to him, Take care that you say nothing good or bad to Jacob.

• World English Bible (2000)

  God came to Laban, the Syrian, in a dream of the night, and said to him, "Take heed to yourself that you don't speak to Jacob either good or bad."

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night and warned him,“Be careful that you neither bless nor curse Jacob.”

Referenced Verses

• Gen 20:3 : 3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream during the night and said to him, 'You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman.'
• Gen 24:50 : 50 Laban and Bethuel answered, 'This matter comes from the Lord; we cannot say good or bad to you.'
• Gen 31:29 : 29 I have the power to harm you, but last night the God of your father said to me, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’
• Gen 31:42 : 42 If the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the Fear of Isaac had not been with me, you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands, and last night he rebuked you.
• 2 Sam 13:22 : 22 Absalom never said a word to Amnon, either good or bad; he hated Amnon because he had disgraced his sister Tamar.
• Num 24:13 : 13 'Even if Balak gave me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go against the command of the LORD, to do anything good or bad of my own will. What the LORD says, that I will speak.'
• Deut 26:5 : 5 And you shall declare before the LORD your God, 'My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down to Egypt, where he lived as a foreigner with only a few people. But there he became a great nation, powerful and numerous.'
• 1 Kgs 3:5 : 5 At Gibeon, the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream during the night, and God said, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you."
• Job 33:15-17 : 15 In a dream, a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, while they slumber on their beds, 16 then He opens the ears of men and seals their instruction. 17 To turn a man from wrongdoing and to conceal pride from him.
• Job 33:25 : 25 then their flesh is restored to be fresher than in youth, and they return to the days of their youthful vigor.
• Ps 105:14-15 : 14 He allowed no one to oppress them; He rebuked kings on their account. 15 'Do not touch My anointed ones, and do not harm My prophets.'
• Isa 37:29 : 29 Because of your raging against Me and your arrogance that has reached My ears, I will put My hook in your nose and My bridle in your lips, and I will turn you back by the way you came.
• Hos 12:12 : 12 If Gilead is wicked, surely they are worthless. In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls—indeed, their altars are like heaps of stone in the furrows of the field.
• Matt 1:20 : 20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, 'Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.'
• Matt 2:12 : 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another route.
• Matt 27:19 : 19 While he was seated on the judgment seat, his wife sent a message to him, saying, 'Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered greatly today in a dream because of Him.'
• Gen 40:5 : 5 Both of them—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison—had a dream the same night, and each dream had its own meaning.
• Gen 41:1 : 1 After two full years, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile.
• Num 12:6 : 6 He said, 'Listen to My words: When there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, reveal Myself to them in visions, I speak to them in dreams.
• Num 22:20 : 20 That night God came to Balaam and said, 'Since these men have come to summon you, go with them. But do only what I tell you.'
• Num 22:26 : 26 Then the angel of the LORD moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left.
• Gen 28:5 : 5 Isaac sent Jacob away, and he went to Paddan-Aram, to Laban, son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob and Esau's mother.
• Gen 31:10 : 10 During the mating season of the flock, I lifted my eyes and saw in a dream that the male goats mating with the flock were streaked, speckled, and spotted.