Genesis 40:8

8 “We both had dreams,” they answered, “but there is no one to interpret them.” Then Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams.”

Genesis 40:8 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
8 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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
8 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."
New Living Translation (NLT)
8 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.”
The Message Bible (MSG)
8 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."
American Standard Version (ASV)
8 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.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
8 "We both had dreams," they answered him, "but there's no one to tell us what they mean." "Isn't God the only one who can tell what they mean?" Joseph asked them. "Why don't you tell me all about them."
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
8 "We had dreams," they said to him, "but there is no one to interpret them." Then Joseph said to them, "Don't interpretations belong to God? Tell me [your dreams]."
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
8 "We both had dreams," they answered. "But no one can tell us what they mean." Then Joseph said to them, "Only God knows what dreams mean. Tell me your dreams."

Genesis 40:8 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 40:8

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" F26, 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.


FOOTNOTES:

F26 (an) "nunc", Drusius.

Genesis 40:8 In-Context

6 When Joseph came to them the next morning, he saw that they were dejected.
7 So he asked Pharaoh’s officials who were in custody with him in his master’s house, “Why do you look so sad today?”
8 “We both had dreams,” they answered, “but there is no one to interpret them.” Then Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams.”
9 So the chief cupbearer told Joseph his dream. He said to him, “In my dream I saw a vine in front of me,
10 and on the vine were three branches. As soon as it budded, it blossomed, and its clusters ripened into grapes.

Cross References 2

  • 1. Genesis 41:8,15
  • 2. Genesis 41:16,25,28,32">Genesis 41:16,25,28,32; Deuteronomy 29:29; Da 2:22,28,47">Da 2:22,28,47; Genesis 41:16; Da 2:22,28,47">Da 2:22,28,47
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