Genesis 31:24

Gen 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.

Ver. 24. Take heed thou speak not good or bad.] That is, that thou seek not, either by flattery or force, by allurement or affrightment, to bring him back. They write of the asp, that he never wanders alone, without his companion with him. So the flattering promises of the Church’s adversaries go ever accompanied with cruel menaces, their rising tongues with their terrifying saws. {Heb 11:37} "None of them shall want their mate"; as the Scripture speaks of those birds of prey and desolation. {Isa 34:16}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Gen 31:24. Speak not to Jacob either good or bad — The Hebrew is, from good to bad — That is, enter into no altercations, and use no harsh language with him, which may occasion a quarrel. Say nothing against his going on with his journey, for the thing proceedeth from the Lord. The same Hebraism we have, Gen 24:50. The safety of good men is very much owing to the hold God has on the consciences of bad men, and the access he has to them.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

31:24 leave Jacob alone! (literally Do not speak to Jacob either good or evil): God commanded Laban not to take justice into his own hands. When we try to enact our own sense of good and evil apart from God’s command, we always do evil (see study note on 2:9).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Hebrew, from good to evil.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

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 honour, so termed, which commence with, "I hope you are well" - "I am infinitely glad to see you" - "I am happy to see you well," c., 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's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(24) Either good or bad.—Heb., from good to bad: a proverbial expression, rightly translated in the Authorised Version, but conveying the idea of a more absolute prohibition than the phrase used in Gen_24:50.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

24. And God came] Cf. Gen_31:11. For this revelation to Laban the Syrian, compare the revelation to Abimelech, king of Gerar, in Gen_20:3. It is God, not the “angel of God” (Gen_31:11), who appears to Laban.

either good or bad] A phrase used by Laban himself in Gen_24:50.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And Laban said unto Jacob,.... Upon their meeting together; perhaps in some middle place between their two tents:

what hast thou done? what evil hast thou committed? what folly art thou guilty of? and what could induce thee to take such a step as this? suggesting that he could see no necessity for it; and as if he had done nothing that should occasion it, and that Jacob had done a very ill thing

that thou hast stolen away unawares to me: of this phrase See Gill on Gen 31:20,

and carried away my daughters, as captives taken with the sword; as were commonly done by a band of robbers that made incursions upon their neighbours, and plundered them of their substance, and carried away by force their wives and daughters; and such an one Laban represents Jacob to be, a thief and a robber; who had not only stolen away from him, but had stole away his goods, and even his gods, and carried away his daughters against their will: all which were false, and particularly the latter, since they went along with him with their free and full consent.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Speak not. Laban did not comply exactly, but he used no violence. (Haydock)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Neither persuading him by flattering promises and cunning artifices, nor compelling him by threatenings, to return. For so these general words must be limited, as is evident from God’s design in them, and from the following relation. So this is a synecdochical expression.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

24. God came to Laban — Mark the constant divine care that guards the ways of Jacob, and redeems him from all evil. Gen_48:16.

Either good or bad — Hebrews, from good unto bad. That is, do not from good friendly greetings pass to bad words of violence. Do not make matters worse.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Vers. 24, 25. And God Elohim is here employed, neither because the section belongs to the fundamental document (Tuch, Bleek, Colenso, et alii), nor because, though Laban had an outward acquaintance with Jehovah (vide ver. 49), his real religious knowledge did not extend beyond Elohim (Hengstenberg), but simply because the historian wished to characterize the interposition which arrested Laban in his wrath as supernatural (Quarry)came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, (cf. Gen_20:3; Job_33:15; Mat_1:20) This celestial visitation occurred the night before the fugitives were overtaken (vide ver. 29). Its intention was to guard Jacob, according to the promise Gen_28:15, against Laban"s resentmentand (accordingly God) said unto him, Take heed literally, take heed for thyself, the verb being followed by an ethical dative, as in Gen_12:1 Gen_21:16, q.v. that thou speak not to Jacob literally, lest the, speak with Jacob; mh pote lalhsuv meta jIakwb (LXX) either good or bad. Literally, from good to bad, meaning that on meeting with Jacob he should not pass from peaceful greetings to bitter reproaches (Bush, Lunge), or say anything emphatic and decisive for the purpose of reversing what had occurred (Keil); or, perhaps more simply, say anything acrimonious or violent against Jacob (Rosenm Murphy), the expression being a proverbial phrase for opposition or interference (Kalisch). (cf. Gen_14:5; 2Sa_13:23) Then (literally, and) Laban overtook Jacob. Now (literally, and) Jacob had pitched his tent this was done by means of pins driven into the ground, the verb qT; signifying to fasten, or fix anything by driving (cf. Jud_1:4:21; Isa_22:23, Isa_22:25) in the mount (vide supra, ver. 21): and Laban with his brethren (kinsmen, ut supra) pitched his tent; not esthse touv ajdelfouv (LXX)in the mount of Gilead (vide supra, ver. 21).

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Speak not, either good or bad - That is, say nothing against his going on with his journey, for the thing proceedeth from the Lord. The same Hebraism we have, chap. xxiv, 50. The safety of good men is very much owing to the hold God has of the consciences of bad men, and the access he has to them.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Now God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night

The word "now" is used here to mark a change from the story to background information about Laban. AT: "That night God came to Laban in a dream" (See: Background Information)

Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad

The phrase "good nor bad" are used together to mean "anything." AT: "Do not say anything to try and stop Jacob from leaving" (See: Merism)

Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country. Laban also camped with his relatives in the hill country of Gilead

The word "now" is used here to mark a change from the story to background information about Jacob and Laban. AT: "When Laban caught up with Jacob, Jacob had set up camp in the hill country. Then Laban and his relatives also camped in the hill country of Gilead" (See: Background Information)

translationWords

God

Aram

dream

Gilead

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

מטוב עד רע EITHER GOOD OR EVIL — why should he not speak good? Because all the good that the wicked do to the righteous is evil in the opinion of the righteous (Yevamot 103b).

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

LABAN THE ARAMEAN. The intent of this is to relate that even though he was an Aramean, and the people of his place used teraphim and were soothsayers like the Philistines, yet the prophetic dream came to him in honor of the righteous one [Jacob]. Similarly, And Jacob outwitted Laban the Aramean: [the epithet “Aramean” is mentioned in order to indicate that] even though Laban was the Aramean, the diviner and owner of teraphim, [he was still outwitted by Jacob].

EITHER GOOD OR BAD. [Why should he not speak good?] Because all the good that the wicked do is looked upon by the righteous as bad. This is Rashi’s language. But the plain meaning thereof is as follow: “Take heed that you speak not to Jacob and promise to treat him well if he will return with you from his journey, or lest you threaten to do him evil if he will not come with you, for it is I Who commanded him to return to his land.”

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

Guard yourself that you do not speak. You are forbidden even to speak!

Either good. Do not try to lure Yaakov into returning with offers of benefits. Or evil. And do not threaten him.

Sforno on the Tanakh — English translation: “Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

ויבא, just as G’d had communicated with Avimelech in honour of Yitzchok, so He now communicated with Lavan in honour of Yaakov.

פן תדבר, that you dare not speak. Do not start a quarrel with him planning to do harm to him as a result. Not only must you not harm him physically, but you must not even inflict verbal abuse on him. The correct meaning of the words פן תדבר is: “not to speak harshly.” Constructions with the prefix פן also occur in Genesis 3,3 as a warning, on pain of death, not to eat from the tree of knowledge, or in Genesis 24,6 פן תשיב את בני שמה not to bring Yitzchok back to Padan Aram.

מטוב עד רע, though you may think that if you deprive Yaakov only of a small fraction of his wealth that from your vantage point you are doing him a favour by allowing him to retain most of it, or that you plan to rob him of most of it, something which even you realise as an evil thing to do, seeing you want to punish him for leaving you without having taken his leave from you.

Radak on the Tanakh — English translations: “Sefaria Community Translation” (CC0 1.0 (public-domain dedication)); “Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash” (CC BY 4.0); “Rabbi Mike Feuer, Jerusalem Anthology” (CC BY 4.0); and “R. David Kimhi on the first book of Psalms, Translated by R.G. Finch, London, 1919” (public domain). Text via Sefaria.