Reference: Dream
American
The orientals, and in particular the Jews, greatly regarded dreams, and applied for their interpretation to those who undertook to explain them. We see the antiquity of this custom in the history of Pharaoh's butler and baker, Ge 40; and Pharaoh himself and Nebuchadnezzar are also instances. God expressly forbade his people to observe dreams, and to consult explainers of them. He condemned to death all who pretended to have prophetic dreams, even though what they foretold came to pass, if they had any tendency to promote idolatry, De 13:1-3. But they were not forbidden, when they thought they had a significant dream, to address the prophets of the Lord, or the high priest in his ephod, to have it explained. The Lord frequently made known his will in dreams, and enabled persons to explain them, Ge 20:3-7; 28:12-15; 1Sa 28:6; Da 2; Joe 2:28; Mt 1:20; Ac 27:22. Supernatural dreams are distinguished from visions, in that the former occurred during sleep, and the latter when the person was awake. God spoke to Abimelech in a dream, but to Abraham by vision. In both cases he left on the mind an assurance of the certainty of whatever he revealed. Both are now superseded by the Bible, our sure and sufficient guide through earth to heaven.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Then God went in unto Abimelech, in a dream of the night, - and said to him, Behold thee dead! because of the woman whom thou hast taken, seeing that, she, is a married woman. Now, Abimelech, had not come near unto her, - so he said, O My Lord! a nation even a righteous one, wilt thou slay? read more. Had not, he himself, said to me, My sister, is she? and even she herself, said, My brother, is he? In the integrity of my heart and in the pureness of my hand, have I done this! And God said unto him in a dream, I, also, knew, that in the integrity of thy heart, thou didst this, so then, even I myself, withheld thee from sinning against me, for this reason, have I not suffered thee to touch her. Now, therefore restore the man's wife, for a prophet, is he, that he may pray for thee and live thou, - But if thou art not going to restore her, know, that thou shalt die, thou - and all that are thine.
And he dreamed, and lo! a stairway, planted earthwards, with, its top, reaching towards the heavens, - and lo! messengers of God, ascending and descending thereon; and lo! Yahweh, standing by him, - and he said, I, am Yahweh, God of Abraham thy father and God of Isaac, - The land whereon, thou, art lying, to thee, will I give it and to thy seed; read more. And thy seed shall become as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt break forth westward and eastward, and northward and southward, - And all the families of the ground shall be blessed in thee and in thy seed. Lo! then, I, am with thee, so will I keep thee in every place whithersoever thou mayest go, and will bring thee back unto this soil, - For I will not forsake thee until I have done that of which I have spoken to thee.
When there shall arise in thy midst - a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, - and he shall give unto thee a sign or a wonder; and the sign or the wonder shall come in, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, - Let us go after other gods, which ye know not and let us serve them read more. thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or unto that dreamer of dreams, - for Yahweh your God, is putting you to the proof, to know whether ye do love Yahweh your God, with all your heart and with all your soul.
And it shall come to pass, afterwards, I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters, shall prophesy, - your old men, shall dream, dreams, your young men, shall see, visions;
But, when, these things, he had pondered, lo! a messenger of the Lord, by dream, appeared to him, saying, - Joseph, son of David! do not fear to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for, that which, in her, hath been begotten, is of the , Holy, Spirit.
And, now, I recommend you to be of good courage; for, loss of life, shall there be, none at all, from among you, - only the ship.
Easton
God has frequently made use of dreams in communicating his will to men. The most remarkable instances of this are recorded in the history of Jacob (Ge 28:12; 31:10), Laban (Ge 31:24), Joseph (Ge 37:9-11), Gideon (Jg 7), and Solomon (1Ki 3:5). Other significant dreams are also recorded, such as those of Abimelech (Ge 20:3-7), Pharaoh's chief butler and baker (Ge 40:5), Pharaoh (Ge 41:1-8), the Midianites (Jg 7:13), Nebuchadnezzar (Da 2:1; 4:10,18), the wise men from the east (Mt 2:12), and Pilate's wife (Mt 27:19).
To Joseph "the Lord appeared in a dream," and gave him instructions regarding the infant Jesus (Mt 1:20; 2:12-13,19). In a vision of the night a "man of Macedonia" stood before Paul and said, "Come over into Macedonia and help us" (Ac 16:9; see also Ac 18:9; 27:23).
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Then God went in unto Abimelech, in a dream of the night, - and said to him, Behold thee dead! because of the woman whom thou hast taken, seeing that, she, is a married woman. Now, Abimelech, had not come near unto her, - so he said, O My Lord! a nation even a righteous one, wilt thou slay? read more. Had not, he himself, said to me, My sister, is she? and even she herself, said, My brother, is he? In the integrity of my heart and in the pureness of my hand, have I done this! And God said unto him in a dream, I, also, knew, that in the integrity of thy heart, thou didst this, so then, even I myself, withheld thee from sinning against me, for this reason, have I not suffered thee to touch her. Now, therefore restore the man's wife, for a prophet, is he, that he may pray for thee and live thou, - But if thou art not going to restore her, know, that thou shalt die, thou - and all that are thine.
And he dreamed, and lo! a stairway, planted earthwards, with, its top, reaching towards the heavens, - and lo! messengers of God, ascending and descending thereon;
And it came to pass in the season when the flock were in heat, then lifted I mine eyes and beheld in a dream, - and lo! the he-goats that were leaping upon the flock, were ring-straked speckled and dappled.
And God went in unto Laban the Syrian in a dream of the night, - and said to him Take heed to thyself that thou speak not with Jacob either good or bad.
Then dreamed he, yet another, dream, and related it to his brethren, and said: - Lo! I have dreamed a dream, yet again, Lo! then, the sun and the moon, and eleven stars, were bowing themselves down to me. So he related it unto his father, and unto his brethren, - and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream which thou hast dreamed? Shall we, indeed come in, I, and thy mother and thy brethren, to bow our-selves down to thee to the earth? read more. Then were his brethren jealous of him, but his father, marked the word.
And they dreamed a dream they two, each man, his dream in one night, each man, according to the interpretation of his dream, - the butler and the baker who belonged to the king of Egypt, who were imprisoned in the prison.
And it came to pass at the end of two years of days, that, Pharaoh, was dreaming, when lo! he was standing by the river (Nile); and lo! from the river, were coming up seven heifers, comely in appearance and fat in flesh, - and they fed among the rushes. read more. And lo! seven heifers more coming up after them out of the river, uncomely in appearance and lean in flesh, - and they came and stood beside the heifers, by the lip of the river. Then did the heifers that were uncomely in appearance, and lean in flesh, eat up, the seven heifers that were comely in appearance and fat. So Pharaoh awoke. And he fell asleep, and dreamed a second time, when lo! seven ears, coming up on one stalk fat and good; and lo! seven ears, lean and shrivelled by an east wind, coming up after them. Then did the lean ears swallow up the seven fat and full ears. So Pharaoh awoke and lo! it was a dream. And it came to pass in the morning, that his spirit became restless, so he sent and called for all the sacred scribes of Egypt and all her wise men, - and Pharaoh related to them his dreams, a but there was no one that could interpret them. to Pharaoh.
And Gideon came in, and lo! a man relating to his neighbour a dream, - and he said - Lo! a dream, have I dreamt, and lo! a round cake of barley bread tumbling into the camp of Midian, and it came as far as the tent - and smote it that it fell, and turned it upside down, and the tent lay along.
In Gibeon, Yahweh appeared unto Solomon, in a dream by night, - and God said, Ask, what I shall give thee.
And, in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, - and his spirit, was troubled, and, his sleep, had gone from him.
The visions then of my head upon my bed were these , - I was looking, when lo! a tree in the midst of the land, and, the height thereof, was great.
This dream, have, I, King Nebuchadnezzar, seen. Thou, therefore, O Belteshazzar, the interpretation, do thou tell, forasmuch as, all the wise men of my kingdom, are unable, the interpretation, to make known to me, but, thou, art able, because, the spirit of the holy gods, is in thee.
But, when, these things, he had pondered, lo! a messenger of the Lord, by dream, appeared to him, saying, - Joseph, son of David! do not fear to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for, that which, in her, hath been begotten, is of the , Holy, Spirit.
and, being instructed by dream, not to return unto Herod, by another way, retired they unto their own country.
and, being instructed by dream, not to return unto Herod, by another way, retired they unto their own country. Now, when they had retired, lo! a messenger of the Lord, appeareth by dream unto Joseph, saying, Arise, take unto thee the child and its mother, and flee into Egypt, and be there, until I tell thee, - for Herod is about to seek the child, to destroy it.
But, when Herod was, dead, lo! a messenger of the Lord, appeareth by dream unto Joseph in Egypt;
And, as he was sitting upon the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying: Have thou nothing to do with that righteous man, for, many things, have I suffered this day, by dream, because of him.
And, a vision, by night, unto Paul appeared: - A man of Macedonia, there was, standing and beseeching him, and saying - Come over into Macedonia, and bring us succour!
And the Lord said by night, through means of a vision, unto Paul - Be not afraid! but be speaking, - and do not hold thy peace;
For there stood by me this night, belonging unto the God whose I am, unto whom also I am doing divine service, a messenger,
Fausets
The revelation of God's will in dreams is characteristic of the early and less perfect patriarchal times (Ge 28:12; 31:24; 37:5-10); to Solomon, 1Ki 3:5, in commencing his reign; the beginnings of the New Testament dispensation (Mt 1:20; 2:13,19,22); and the communications from God to the rulers of the pagan world powers, Philistia, Egypt, Babylon (Ge 20:3; 40:5; 41:1); Elihu, Job 33:15; Daniel 2; Da 4:5, etc. The dream form of revelation is that most appropriate to those outside the kingdom of God. So the Midianite (Jg 7:13), Pilate's wife (Mt 27:19). But it is the Israelites Joseph and Daniel who interpret; for pagandom is passive, Israel active, in divine things to the glory of the God of Israel. Dreams were a frequent means of imposture and idolatry De 13:1-3; Zec 10:2).
The dream form of revelation is placed below that of prophecy and even divination (Nu 12:6; Joe 2:28; 1Sa 28:6). "Trances" and "visions" are mentioned in the Christian church, but not dreams. While God has acted and can act on the mind in a dream (wherein the reason and judgment are dormant, but the sensations and imaginations active and uncontrolled by the judgment), His higher mode of revelation is that wherein the understanding is active and conscious; consequently, the former mode appears more in imperfect stages of the development of God's scheme than in the advanced stages. "In the multitude of dreams are divers vanities" (Ec 5:7), i.e., God's service becomes by "dreams" (foolish fancies as to what God requires of worshippers); and random "words," positive vanity of manifold kinds; compare Mt 6:7, "they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking."
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Then God went in unto Abimelech, in a dream of the night, - and said to him, Behold thee dead! because of the woman whom thou hast taken, seeing that, she, is a married woman.
And he dreamed, and lo! a stairway, planted earthwards, with, its top, reaching towards the heavens, - and lo! messengers of God, ascending and descending thereon;
And God went in unto Laban the Syrian in a dream of the night, - and said to him Take heed to thyself that thou speak not with Jacob either good or bad.
And Joseph dreamed a dream, and told it to his brethren, and they went on yet more to hate him. And he said unto them, Hear ye I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: read more. Lo! then, we, were binding sheaves in the midst of the field, when lo my sheaf rose up, yea and took its stand, - and lo! round about came your sheaves, and bowed themselves down to my sheaf. And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou, reign, over us, shalt thou, have dominion over us? So they went on yet more to hate him, because of his dreams and because of his words. Then dreamed he, yet another, dream, and related it to his brethren, and said: - Lo! I have dreamed a dream, yet again, Lo! then, the sun and the moon, and eleven stars, were bowing themselves down to me. So he related it unto his father, and unto his brethren, - and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream which thou hast dreamed? Shall we, indeed come in, I, and thy mother and thy brethren, to bow our-selves down to thee to the earth?
And they dreamed a dream they two, each man, his dream in one night, each man, according to the interpretation of his dream, - the butler and the baker who belonged to the king of Egypt, who were imprisoned in the prison.
And it came to pass at the end of two years of days, that, Pharaoh, was dreaming, when lo! he was standing by the river (Nile);
Then said he Hear, I beseech you my words. When ye have your prophet, As Yahweh in a vision, will I make myself known, unto him; In a dream, will I speak with him.
When there shall arise in thy midst - a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, - and he shall give unto thee a sign or a wonder; and the sign or the wonder shall come in, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, - Let us go after other gods, which ye know not and let us serve them read more. thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or unto that dreamer of dreams, - for Yahweh your God, is putting you to the proof, to know whether ye do love Yahweh your God, with all your heart and with all your soul.
And Gideon came in, and lo! a man relating to his neighbour a dream, - and he said - Lo! a dream, have I dreamt, and lo! a round cake of barley bread tumbling into the camp of Midian, and it came as far as the tent - and smote it that it fell, and turned it upside down, and the tent lay along.
In Gibeon, Yahweh appeared unto Solomon, in a dream by night, - and God said, Ask, what I shall give thee.
In a dream, a vision of the night, when a deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed,
For it was done amidst a multitude of dreams, and vanities, and many words, - but, towards God, be thou reverent.
A dream, I saw, and it made me afraid, - and, fancies upon my bed, and visions of my head, terrified me.
And it shall come to pass, afterwards, I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters, shall prophesy, - your old men, shall dream, dreams, your young men, shall see, visions;
For, the household gods, have spoken vanity, and, the diviners, have had vision of falsehood, and, deceitful dreams, do they relate, vainly, do they console, - for this reason, have they moved about like a flock, they suffer ill, because there is no shepherd.
But, when, these things, he had pondered, lo! a messenger of the Lord, by dream, appeared to him, saying, - Joseph, son of David! do not fear to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for, that which, in her, hath been begotten, is of the , Holy, Spirit.
Now, when they had retired, lo! a messenger of the Lord, appeareth by dream unto Joseph, saying, Arise, take unto thee the child and its mother, and flee into Egypt, and be there, until I tell thee, - for Herod is about to seek the child, to destroy it.
But, when Herod was, dead, lo! a messenger of the Lord, appeareth by dream unto Joseph in Egypt;
Hearing, however, that, Archelaus, was reigning over Judaea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid, thither, to go, - and so, being instructed by dream, he retired into the parts of Galilee;
And, being at prayer, use not vain repetitions, just like the nations, - for they think, that, in their much speaking, they shall be hoard;
And, as he was sitting upon the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying: Have thou nothing to do with that righteous man, for, many things, have I suffered this day, by dream, because of him.