God spoke to Laban, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either GOOD OR BAD"

[tonychanyt]

Abraham sent his servant [S1] to find a wife for Isaac. S1 found Rebekah and spoke to Laban and Bethuel in Gen 24:

49 "Now then, if you are going to show steadfast love and faithfulness to my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand or to the left.”

S1 asked permission to take Rebekah to Isaac.

50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, “The thing has come from the LORD; we cannot speak to you bad or good.

They could not oppose God's will. They would not quarrel with S1 about it; i.e., they could not speak bad or good about it.

51 Behold, Rebekah is before you; take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the LORD has spoken.”

Decades later, Jacob married Laban's daughters, Leah and Rachel, by working for him. He worked for him for 14 years. Jacob took his wives, children, and properties to leave Laban secretly. Laban found it and pursued them in Genesis 31:

24 Then 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.”

Laban spoke to S1 with a similar expression decades ago. Now, God did not forbid Laban to speak to Jacob. God told Laban not to quarrel with Jacob because it was His will that Jacob returned to Canaan.

When Laban caught up with Jacob, he said to him:

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.’ 30 Now you have gone off because you longed to return to your father’s household. But why did you steal my gods?”

Laban did not do anything to stop Jacob's return journey. He just wanted his idols back.