Category:Joseph's Dreams

Joseph's Dreams

Genesis 37



37:5. Now it fell out also that he told his brethren a dream, that he had dreamed: which occasioned them to hate him the more.

A dream. . .These dreams of Joseph were prophetical, and sent from God; as were also those which he interpreted, Genesis 40 and Genesis 41; otherwise generally speaking, the observing of dreams is condemned in the Scripture, as superstitious and sinful. See Deuteronomy 18:10; Ecclesiastes 34:2-3.

37:6. He said to them: Hear my dream which I dreamed.



37:7. I thought we were binding sheaves in the field: and my sheaf arose as it were, and stood, and your sheaves standing about bowed down before my sheaf.

'''37:8. His brethren answered: Shall you be our king? or shall we be subject to your dominion? Therefore this matter of his dreams and words ministered nourishment to their envy and hatred.'''



37:9. He dreamed also another dream, which he told his brethren, saying: I saw in a dream, as it were the sun, and the moon, and eleven stars worshipping me.

'''37:10. When he had told this to his father, and brethren, his father rebuked him and said: What meaneth this dream that you hast dreamed? shall I and your mother, and your brethren worship you upon the earth?'''

Worship. . .This word is not used here to signify divine worship, but an inferior veneration, expressed by the bowing of the body, and that, according to the manner of the eastern nations, down to the ground.

Joseph Interprets Dreams of Others

Genesis 40

Joseph interprets the dreams of two of Pharaoh's servants in prison: the event declares the interpretations to be true, but Joseph is forgotten.

40:1. After this, it came to pass, that two eunuchs, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, offended their lord.

40:2. Pharaoh being angry with them, (now the one was chief butler, the other chief baker,)

40:3. He sent them to the prison of the commander of the soldiers, in which Joseph also was prisoner.

'''40:4. But the keeper of the prison delivered them to Joseph, and he served them. Some little time passed, and they were kept in custody.'''

40:5. They both dreamed a dream the same night, according to the interpretation agreeing to themselves:

40:6. When Joseph had come into them in the morning, and saw them sad,

40:7. he asked them, saying: Why is your countenance sadder today than usual?



'''40:8. They answered: We have dreamed a dream, and there is nobody to interpret it to us. Joseph said to them: Does not interpretation belong to God? Tell me what you have dreamed:'''

Does not interpretation belong to God?. . .When dreams are from God, as these were, the interpretation of them is a gift of God. But the generality of dreams are not of this sort; but either proceed from the natural complexions and dispositions of persons, or the roving of their imaginations in the day on such objects as they are much affected with, or from their mind being disturbed with cares and troubles, and oppressed with bodily infirmities: or they are suggested by evil spirits, to flatter, or to terrify weak minds, in order to gain belief, and so draw them into error or superstition; or at least to trouble them in their sleep, whom they cannot move when they are awake: so that the general rule, with regard to dreams, is not to observe them, nor to give any credit to them.

40:9. The chief butler first told his dream: I saw before me a vine,

40:10. on which were three branches, which by little and little sent out buds, and after the blossoms brought forth ripe grapes:



40:11. and the cup of Pharaoh was in my hand: and I took the grapes, and pressed them into the cup which I held, and I gave the cup to Pharaoh.

40:12. Joseph answered: This is the interpretation of the dream: The three branches, are yet three days:

40:13. After which Pharaoh will remember your service, and will restore you to your former place: and you shall present him the cup according to your office, as before you were wont to do.

40:14. Only remember me when it shall be well with you, and do me this kindness: to put Pharaoh in mind to take me out of this prison:

40:15. For I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews, and here without any fault was cast into the dungeon.

40:16. The chief baker seeing that he had wisely interpreted the dream, said: I also dreamed a dream, That I had three baskets of meal upon my head:



40:17. and that in one basket which was uppermost, I carried all meats that are made by the art of baking, and that the birds ate out of it.

40:18. Joseph answered: This is the interpretation of the dream: The three baskets, are yet three days:

40:19. After which Pharaoh will take your head from you, and hang you on a cross, and the birds shall tear your flesh.

40:20. The third day after this was the birthday of Pharaoh: and he made a great feast for his servants, and at the banquet remembered the chief butler, and the chief baker.

40:21. He restored the one to his place, to present him the cup:



40:22. The other he hanged on a gibbet, that the truth of the interpreter might be shown.

40:23. But the chief butler, when things prospered with him, forgot his interpreter.

'''Genesis 41

Joseph interprets the two dreams of Pharaoh: he is made ruler over all Egypt.



'''41:1. After two years Pharaoh had a dream. He thought he stood by the river,'''

41:2. Out of which came up seven kine, very beautiful and fat: and they fed in marshy places.

41:3. Other seven also came up out of the river, ill-favored, and lean fleshed: and they fed on the very bank of the river, in green places:

'''41:4. and they devoured them, whose bodies were very beautiful and well conditioned. So Pharaoh awoke.'''



41:5. He slept again, and dreamed another dream: Seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk full and fair:

41:6. Then seven other ears sprung up thin and blasted,



'''41:7. and devoured all the beauty of the former. Pharaoh awoke after his rest:'''

41:8. and when morning had come, being struck with fear, he sent to all the interpreters of Egypt, and to all the wise men: and they being called for, he told them his dream, and there was not any one that could interpret it.

41:9. Then at length the chief butler remembering, said: "I confess my sin:"

41:10. "The Pharaoh being angry with his servants, commanded me and the chief baker to be cast into the prison of the captain of the soldiers."

41:11. Where in one night both of us dreamed a dream foreboding things to come.

41:12. There was there a young man, a Hebrew, servant to the same captain of the soldiers: to whom we told our dreams,

'''41:13. and we heard what afterwards the event of the thing proved to be so. For I was restored to my office: and he was hanged upon a gibbet.'''

41:14. Forthwith at the Pharaoh's command Joseph was brought out of the prison, and they shaved him: and changing his apparel brought him in to the Pharaoh.

41:15. Pharaoh said to him: I have dreamed dreams, and there is no one that can expound them: Now I have heard that you are very wise at interpreting them:

41:16. Joseph answered: Without me, God shall give Pharaoh a prosperous answer.



41:17. So Pharaoh told what he had dreamed: I thought I stood upon the bank of the river,

41:18. and seven kine came up out of the river, exceeding beautiful and full of flesh: and they grazed on green places in a marshy pasture.



41:19. Behold, there followed these, other seven kine, so very ill-favored and lean, that I never saw the like in the land of Egypt:

41:20. and they devoured and consumed the former,

'''41:21. and yet gave no mark of their being full: but were as lean and ill-favored as before. I awoke, and then fell asleep again,'''

41:22. and dreamed a dream: Seven ears of corn grew up upon one stalk, full and very fair.

41:23. Other seven also thin and blasted, sprung of the stalk:

41:24. and they devoured the beauty of the former: I told this dream to the conjecturers, and there is no man that can expound it.

41:25. Joseph answered: The king's dream is one: God has shown to Pharaoh what He is about to do.

41:26. The seven beautiful kine, and the seven full ears, are seven years of plenty: and both contain the same meaning of the dream.

41:27. The seven lean and thin kine that came up after them, and the seven thin ears that were blasted with the burning wind, are seven years of famine to come:

41:28. Which shall be fulfilled in this order.

41:29. Behold, there shall come seven years of great plenty in the whole land of Egypt:

41:30. After which shall follow other seven years of so great scarcity, that all the abundance before shall be forgotten: for the famine shall consume all the land,

41:31. and the greatness of the scarcity shall destroy the greatness of the plenty.

41:32. For that you did see the second time a dream pertaining to the same thing: it is a token of the certainty, and that the word of God comes to pass, and is fulfilled speedily.

41:33. Now therefore let Pharaoh provide a wise and industrious man, and make him ruler over the land of Egypt:



41:34. that he may appoint overseers over all the countries: and gather into barns the fifth part of the fruits, during the seven fruitful years,

41:35. That shall now presently ensue: and let all the corn be laid up, under Pharaoh's hands, and be reserved in the cities.

41:36. Let it be in readiness, against the famine of seven years to come, which shall oppress Egypt, and the land shall not be consumed with scarcity.

41:37. The counsel pleased Pharaoh, and all his servants.

41:38. He said to them: Can we find such another man, that is full of the spirit of God?

41:39. He said therefore to Joseph: Seeing God has shown you all that you have said, can I find one wiser and one like unto you?



41:40. You shall be over my house, and at the commandment of your mouth all the people shall obey: only in the kingly throne will I be above you.

41:41. Again Pharaoh said to Joseph: Behold, I have appointed you over the whole land of Egypt.

41:42. He took his ring from his own hand, and gave it into his hand: and he put upon him a robe of silk, and put a chain of gold about his neck.



41:43. He made him go up into his second chariot, the crier proclaiming that all should bow their knee before him, and that they should know he was made governor over the whole land of Egypt.

41:44. The king said to Joseph: I am Pharaoh: without your commandment no man shall move hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.

'''41:45. He turned his name, and called him in the Egyptian tongue the savior of the world. He gave him to wife Aseneth, the daughter of Putiphare, priest of Heliopolis. Then Joseph went out to the land of Egypt.'''

The savior of the world. . .Zaphnah paaneah.