Genesis 31:24

King James Version with Strong's Numbers

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.

📖 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

Referenced Verses

• Gen 20:3 : 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.
• Gen 24:50 : 50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the LORD: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.
• Gen 31:29 : 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.
• Gen 31:42 : 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 Sam 13:22 : 22 And Absalom spake unto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad: for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.
• Num 24:13 : 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?
• Deut 26:5 : 5 And thou shalt speak and say before the LORD thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous:
• 1 Kgs 3:5 : 5 In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.
• Job 33:15-17 : 15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed; 16 Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, 17 That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man.
• Job 33:25 : 25 His flesh shall be fresher than a child's: he shall return to the days of his youth:
• Ps 105:14-15 : 14 He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes; 15 Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.
• Isa 37:29 : 29 Because thy rage against me, and thy tumult, is come up into mine ears, therefore will I put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.
• Hos 12:12 : 12 And Jacob fled into the country of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep.
• Matt 1:20 : 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.
• Matt 2:12 : 12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
• Matt 27:19 : 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.
• Gen 40:5 : 5 And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, which were bound in the prison.
• Gen 41:1 : 1 And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river.
• Num 12:6 : 6 And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.
• Num 22:20 : 20 And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.
• Num 22:26 : 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.
• Gen 28:5 : 5 And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to Padanaram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother.
• Gen 31:10 : 10 And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the rams which leaped upon the cattle were ringstraked, speckled, and grisled.