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World English Bible

Genesis 40:8

They said to him, "We have dreamed a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it." Joseph said to them, "Don't interpretations belong to God? Please tell it to me."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Dream;   Interpreter;   Joseph;   Prophets;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Dreams;   Egypt;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Dream;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Butler;   Cup-Bearer;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Cupbearer;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Butler;   Genesis;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Cupbearer;   Dreams;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Dream (2);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Baker;   Butler;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Interpreter;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Cup-bearer;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Butler;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Joseph;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
They said to him, "We have dreamed a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it." Yosef said to them, "Don't interpretations belong to God? Please tell it to me."
King James Version
And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you.
Lexham English Bible
And they said to him, "We each dreamed a dream, but there is no one to interpret it." And Joseph said to them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me."
New Century Version
The two men answered, "We both had dreams last night, but no one can explain their meaning to us." Joseph said to them, "God is the only One who can explain the meaning of dreams. Tell me your dreams."
New English Translation
They told him, "We both had dreams, but there is no one to interpret them." Joseph responded, "Don't interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me."
Amplified Bible
And they said to him, "We have [each] dreamed [distinct] dreams and there is no one to interpret them." So Joseph said to them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell me [your dreams]."
New American Standard Bible
And they said to him, "We have had a dream, and there is no one to interpret it." Then Joseph said to them, "Do interpretations not belong to God? Tell it to me, please."
Geneva Bible (1587)
Who answered him, We haue dreamed, eche one a dreame, and there is none to interprete the same. Then Ioseph saide vnto them, Are not interpretations of God? tell them me nowe.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then they said to him, "We have had a dream, and there is no one to interpret it." Then Joseph said to them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Recount it to me, please."
Contemporary English Version
"We each had a dream last night," they answered, "and there is no one to tell us what they mean." Joseph replied, "Doesn't God know the meaning of dreams? Now tell me what you dreamed."
Complete Jewish Bible
They said to him, "We each had a dream, and there's no one around who can interpret it." Yosef said to them, "Don't interpretations belong to God? Tell it to me, please."
Darby Translation
And they said to him, We have dreamt a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said to them, [Do] not interpretations [belong] to God? tell me [your dreams], I pray you.
Easy-to-Read Version
The two men answered, "We both had dreams last night, but we don't understand what we dreamed. There is no one to explain the dreams to us." Joseph said to them, "God is the only one who can understand and explain dreams. So I beg you, tell me your dreams."
English Standard Version
They said to him, "We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them." And Joseph said to them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me."
George Lamsa Translation
And they said to him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no one to interpret it. And Joseph said to them, Behold, the interpretations belong to God; tell them to me.
Good News Translation
They answered, "Each of us had a dream, and there is no one here to explain what the dreams mean." "It is God who gives the ability to interpret dreams," Joseph said. "Tell me your dreams."
Christian Standard Bible®
“We had dreams,” they said to him, “but there is no one to interpret them.”
Literal Translation
And they said to him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter. And Joseph said to them, Do not interpretations belong to God? Now tell it to me.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
They answered: We haue dreamed, and haue no man to declare it vnto vs. Ioseph sayde: Interpretinge belongeth vnto God, but tell it me yet.
American Standard Version
And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell it me, I pray you.
Bible in Basic English
Then they said to him, We have had a dream, and no one is able to give us the sense. And Joseph said, Does not the sense of dreams come from God? what was your dream?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
They aunswered him: We haue dreamed a dreame, and haue no man to declare it. And Ioseph sayde vnto them: do not interpretinges belong to God? tell me I pray you.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And they said unto him: 'We have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it.' And Joseph said unto them: 'Do not interpretations belong to God? tell it me, I pray you.'
King James Version (1611)
And they said vnto him, we haue dreamed a dreame, and there is no interpreter of it. And Ioseph said vnto them, Doe not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And they said to him, We have seen a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said to them, Is not the interpretation of them through god? tell them than to me.
English Revised Version
And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell it me, I pray you.
Berean Standard Bible
"We both had dreams," they replied, "but there is no one to interpret them." Then Joseph said to them, "Don't interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Whiche answeriden, We seiyen a dreem, and `noon is that expowneth to vs. And Joseph seide to hem, Whether expownyng is not of God? Telle ye to me what ye han seyn.
Young's Literal Translation
And they say unto him, `A dream we have dreamed, and there is no interpreter of it;' and Joseph saith unto them, `Are not interpretations with God? recount, I pray you, to me.'
Update Bible Version
And they said to him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it. And Joseph said to them, Don't interpretations belong to God? tell it me, I pray you.
Webster's Bible Translation
And they said to him, We have dreamed a dream, and [there is] no interpreter of it. And Joseph said to them, [Do] not interpretations [belong] to God? tell me [them], I pray you.
New King James Version
And they said to him, "We each have had a dream, and there is no interpreter of it." So Joseph said to them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me, please."
New Living Translation
And they replied, "We both had dreams last night, but no one can tell us what they mean." "Interpreting dreams is God's business," Joseph replied. "Go ahead and tell me your dreams."
New Life Bible
They said to him, "We have had a dream and there is no one to tell us what it means." Then Joseph said to them, "Do not the meanings of dreams belong to God? Tell them to me."
New Revised Standard
They said to him, "We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them." And Joseph said to them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And they said unto him, A dream, have we dreamed, but there is none, to interpret, it. Then said Joseph unto them - Is it not unto God, that interpretations belong? Relate it. I pray you, to me.
Douay-Rheims Bible
They answered: We have dreamed a dream, and there is nobody to interpret it to us. And Joseph said to them: Doth not interpretation belong to God? Tell me what you have dreamed:
Revised Standard Version
They said to him, "We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them." And Joseph said to them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me, I pray you."
THE MESSAGE
They said, "We dreamed dreams and there's no one to interpret them." Joseph said, "Don't interpretations come from God? Tell me the dreams."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then they said to him, "We have had a dream and there is no one to interpret it." Then Joseph said to them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell it to me, please."

Contextual Overview

5 They both dreamed a dream, 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, who were bound in the prison. 6 Joseph came in to them in the morning, and saw them, and, saw that they were sad. 7 He asked Pharaoh's officers who were with him in custody in his master's house, saying, "Why do you look so sad today?" 8 They said to him, "We have dreamed a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it." Joseph said to them, "Don't interpretations belong to God? Please tell it to me." 9 The chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, "In my dream, behold, a vine was in front of me, 10 and in the vine were three branches. It was as though it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and the clusters of it brought forth ripe grapes. 11 Pharaoh's cup was in my hand; and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand." 12 Joseph said to him, "This is the interpretation of it: the three branches are three days. 13 Within three more days, Pharaoh will lift up your head, and restore you to your office. You will give Pharaoh's cup into his hand, the way you did when you were his butler. 14 But remember me when it will be well with you, and show kindness, please, to me, and make mention of me to Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Do not: etc. Genesis 41:15, Genesis 41:16, Job 33:15, Job 33:16, Psalms 25:14, Isaiah 8:19, Daniel 2:11, Daniel 2:28, Daniel 2:47, Daniel 4:8, Daniel 5:11-15, 1 Corinthians 12:10, 1 Corinthians 12:11, Amos 3:7

Reciprocal: Genesis 20:3 - a dream Genesis 40:5 - General Genesis 40:6 - behold Genesis 40:22 - he hanged Genesis 41:8 - but there Numbers 20:10 - we fetch Judges 7:15 - interpretation thereof Ecclesiastes 8:1 - who knoweth Daniel 2:3 - General Daniel 5:16 - make Daniel 7:15 - the visions Acts 3:12 - or

Cross-References

Genesis 40:10
and in the vine were three branches. It was as though it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and the clusters of it brought forth ripe grapes.
Genesis 40:11
Pharaoh's cup was in my hand; and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand."
Genesis 40:15
For indeed, I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon."
Genesis 40:16
When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said to Joseph, "I also was in my dream, and, behold, three baskets of white bread were on my head.
Psalms 25:14
The friendship of Yahweh is with those who fear him. He will show them his covenant.
Isaiah 8:19
When they shall tell you, "Consult with those who have familiar spirits and with the wizards, who chirp and who mutter:" shouldn't a people consult with their God? on behalf of the living [should they consult] with the dead?
Daniel 2:11
It is a rare thing that the king requires, and there is no other who can show it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.
Daniel 2:28
but there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has made known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head on your bed, are these:
Daniel 2:47
The king answered to Daniel, and said, Of a truth your God is the God of gods, and the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing you have been able to reveal this secret.
Daniel 4:8
But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and I told the dream before him, [saying],

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And they said unto him, we have dreamed a dream,.... Each of them:

and [there is] no interpreter of it; in that place in which they were, the prison; otherwise there were persons enough in the land that pretended to the interpretation of dreams, Genesis 41:8; but they could not come at them, being in prison:

and Joseph said unto them, [do] not interpretations [belong] to God? that is, of dreams, and to him only, meaning the true God whom he worshipped; for as dreams themselves, which are of importance, and predict things to come, are of God; for none can foretell future events but he, and such to whom he imparts the gift of prophecy; so none can interpret dreams with any certainty but God himself, and those to whom he gives the faculty of interpretation of them; this Joseph said to take off their minds from the magicians and wise men, and interpreters of dreams among the Egyptians, these officers were hankering after, and wished they had them with them to interpret their dreams to them; and to suggest unto them, that though he did not arrogate such a power to himself, as having it of himself, yet intimates that he doubted not, but upon an address to his God, he would favour him with the interpretation of their dreams, and therefore encourages them to relate them to him:

tell me [them], I pray you; or "now" z, directly, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan; signifying, that he would immediately interpret them to them; no doubt Joseph said this under a divine impulse.

z נא "nunc", Drusius.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

- Joseph in Prison

An uncomplaining patience and an unhesitating hopefulness keep the breast of Joseph in calm tranquillity. There is a God above, and that God is with him. His soul swerves not from this feeling. Meanwhile, new and distinguished prisoners are introduced into his place of confinement.

Genesis 40:1-4

The chief butler and chief baker, high officials in Pharaoh’s court, come under the displeasure of their sovereign. “In the house of the captain of the guards.” It appears that this officer’s establishment contained the keep in which Joseph and these criminals were confined. “Charged Joseph with them.” As Joseph was his slave, and these were state prisoners, he appointed him to wait upon them. It is probable that Joseph’s character had been somewhat re-established with him during his residence in the prison.

Genesis 40:5-8

These prisoners dream, “each according to the interpretation of his dream,” the imagery of which was suited to indicate his future state. They were sad - anxious to know the meaning of these impressive dreams. “Why are your forces bad today?” Joseph keeps up his character of frank composure. “Do not interpretations belong to God?” In his past history he had learned that dreams themselves come from God. And when he adds, “Tell them now to me,” he intimates that God would enable him to interpret their dreams. Here again he uses the general name of God, which was common to him with the pagan.

Genesis 40:9-15

The chief butler now recites his dream. “Pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup.” The imagery of the dream is not intended to intimate that Pharaoh drank only the fresh juice of the grape. It only expresses by a natural figure the source of wine, and possibly the duty of the chief butler to understand and superintend the whole process of its formation. Egypt was not only a corn, but a vine country. The interpretation of this dream was very obvious and natural; yet not without a divine intimation could it be known that the “three branches were three days.” Joseph, in the quiet confidence that his interpretation would prove correct, begs the chief butler to remember him and endeavor to procure his release. “Stolen, stolen was I.” He assures him that he was not a criminal, and that his enslavement was an act of wrongful violence - a robbery by the strong hand. “From the land of the Hebrews;” a very remarkable expression, as it strongly favors the presumption that the Hebrews inhabited the country before Kenaan took possession of it. “I have not done aught.” Joseph pleads innocence, and claims liberation, not as an unmerited favor, but as a right. “The pit.” The pit without water seems to have been the primitive place of confinement for culprits.

Genesis 40:16-19

The chief baker is encouraged by this interpretation to tell his dream. “I also.” He anticipates a favorable answer, from the remarkable likeness of the dreams. “On my head.” It appears from the monuments of Egypt that it was the custom for men to carry articles on their heads. “All manner of baked meats” were also characteristic of a corn country. “Lift up thy head from upon thee.” This part of the interpretation proves its divine origin. And hang thee - thy body, after being beheaded. This was a constant warning to all beholders.

Genesis 40:20-23

The interpretations prove correct. “The birthday of Pharaoh.” It is natural and proper for men to celebrate with thanksgiving the day of their birth, as life is a pure and positive blessing. The benign Creator gives only a happy and precious form of existence to those whom he endows with the capacity of estimating its value. A birthday feast cannot be without a chief butler and a chief baker, and hence, the fate of these criminals must be promptly decided. “Lifted up the head;” a phrase of double meaning. The chief butler remembers not Joseph. This is a case of frequent occurrence in this nether world. But there is One above who does not forget him. He will deliver him at the proper time.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Genesis 40:8. There is no interpreter — They either had access to none, or those to whom they applied could give them no consistent, satisfactory meaning.

Do not interpretations belong to God? — God alone, the Supreme Being, knows what is in futurity; and if he have sent a significant dream, he alone can give the solution.


 
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