31:22 Three days later Laban discovered Jacob had left. 5 31:23 So he took his relatives 6 with him and pursued Jacob 7 for seven days. 8 He caught up with 9 him in the hill country of Gilead. 31:24 But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night and warned him, 10 “Be careful 11 that you neither bless nor curse Jacob.” 12
31:25 Laban overtook Jacob, and when Jacob pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead, Laban and his relatives set up camp there too. 13
1 tn Heb “and he fled.”
2 tn Heb “he arose and crossed.” The first verb emphasizes that he wasted no time in getting across.
3 tn Heb “the river”; the referent (the Euphrates) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
4 tn Heb “he set his face.”
5 tn Heb “and it was told to Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled.”
6 tn Heb “his brothers.”
7 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
8 tn Heb “and he pursued after him a journey of seven days.”
9 tn Heb “drew close to.”
10 tn Heb “said to him.”
11 tn Heb “watch yourself,” which is a warning to be on guard against doing something that is inappropriate.
12 tn Heb “lest you speak with Jacob from good to evil.” The precise meaning of the expression, which occurs only here and in v. 29, is uncertain. Since Laban proceeded to speak to Jacob at length, it cannot mean to maintain silence. Nor does it seem to be a prohibition against criticism (see vv. 26-30). Most likely it refers to a formal pronouncement, whether it be a blessing or a curse. Laban was to avoid saying anything to Jacob that would be intended to enhance him or to harm him.
13 tn Heb “and Jacob pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban pitched with his brothers in the hill country of Gilead.” The juxtaposition of disjunctive clauses (note the pattern conjunction + subject + verb in both clauses) indicates synchronism of action.