Reference: Interpretation
American
Revealing the true meaning of supernatural dreams, Ge 41; Da 2:4, unknown tongues, etc., 1Co 12:12,30; 14:5,13.
For the right interpretation of the word of God, the chief requisites are, a renewed heart, supremely desirous to learn and do the will of God; the aid of the Holy Spirit, sought and gained; a firm conviction that the word of God should rule the erring season and heart of man; a diligent comparison of its different parts, for the light they throw upon each other; all reliable information as to the history and geography, the customs, laws, and languages, the public, domestic, and inner life of Bible times. Thus to study the Bible for one's self is the privilege and duty of every one.
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And the Ohaldeans will speak to the king Syriac: O king, live forever: say to thy servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.
For as the body is one, and has many members, and all the members of the one body, being many, is one body: so also is Christ.
All have not the favors of healing: not all speaking with tongues: not all interpret accurately.
And I will ye all to speak with tongues, and rather that ye prophesy; for geater he prophesying, than he speaking with tongues, unless he interpret accurately, that the church receive building up.
Hastings
This word and its cognates are found throughout the Bible with a wide variety in their use. 1. In the earlier stages of the history of mankind dreams were looked upon as manifestations of Divine intervention in human affairs, and it was regarded as of the first importance that their mysterious revelations should be explained for those to whom they were vouchsafed. From the story of Joseph we learn that a special class at the court of the Pharaohs discharged the function of interpreters of dreams (cf. 'magicians' Revised Version margin 'sacred scribes'] and 'wise men,' Ge 41:8), A similar body of wise or learned men is mentioned in the Book of Daniel, for the same object at the court of Babylon (Da 2:2 ff; Da 4:6 f.). The idea that dreams were a means of communication between the Deity and men was also current amongst the Hebrews from a very early date. In the NT we find that dreams occupy the place of direct visions or revelations from God, and no difficulty seems to have been experienced by the recipients as to their precise meaning (Mt 1:20; 2:12-13,19,22).
2. Turning again to the history of Joseph, we find there an incidental remark which leads us to believe that there was an official interpreter, or a body of interpreters, whose work it was to translate foreign languages into the language of the court (cf. 'the interpreter,' Ge 42:23). The qualification to act as interpreter seems to have been required of those who acted as ambassadors at foreign courts (cf. 2Ch 32:31). That prominent politicians and statesmen had this means of international communication at their disposal is seen in the translation by the Persian nobles of their letter from their own language into Aramaic (Ezr 4:7). As the Hebrew tongue ceased to be that of the common people, interpreters were required at the sacred services to translate or explain the Law and the Prophets after the reading of the original (see W. R. Smith, OTJC [Note: TJC The Old Test. in the Jewish Church.] 36, 64n, 154). In the NT, examples are frequent of the interpretation in Greek of a Hebrew or Aramaic phrase (Mt 1:23; 27:46; Mr 5:41; 15:22,34; Joh 1:38,41 f., Ac 4:36; 9:36; 13:8); and in this connexion it is Interesting to recall the extract from the writings of Papias preserved by Eusebius, in which Mark is called 'the interpreter of Peter' (see HE iii. 39)
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And it will be in the morning, and his soul will be troubled; and he will send and call all the sacred scribes of Egypt, and all his wise; and Pharaoh will relate to them his dream; and none interpreting them to Pharaoh.
And they will not know that Joseph heard them, for an interpreter between them.
Thus in the chiefs of Babel interceding, sending to him to seek out the sign which was in the land, God left him, to try him, to know all in his heart
And in the days of Arthasatha, wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his colleagues, to Arthasatha, king of Persia; and the writing of the letter' being written in Syriac, and being interpreted in Syriac.
If there is a messenger upon him, an interpreter, one from a thousand, to announce to man his uprightness:
And the king will say to call to the sacred scribes, and to the enchanters, and to the sorcerers, and to the Chaldeans, to announce to the king his dreams. And they will come and stand before the king.
And an edict being set from me to bring up before me to all the wise of Babel, that they shall make known to me the interpretation of the dream.
And reflecting upon these things, behold a messenger of the Lord appeared to him saying, Joseph, thou son of David, thou shouldest not fear to take to thyself Mary thy wife: for that begotten in her is of the Holy Spirit.
Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which is, being interpreted, God with us.
And having received intimation of the divine will in a dream not to turn back to Herod, by another way they went back to their own country. And they, having gone back, lo, the messenger of the Lord appears in a dream to Joseph, saying, Having risen, take to thyself the young child and his mother and flee into Egypt, and be there till I speak to thee; for Herod is about to seek the young child to destroy him.
And Herod having died, behold a messenger of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying,
And having heard that Archelaus reigned over Judea, instead of Herod his father, he was afraid to go there; and having received intimation of the divine will in a dream, he turned back into the parts of Galilee.
And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a great voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani I this is, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
And having taken the hand of the young child, he says to her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Little girl, I say to thee, arise.
And they bring him to the place Golgotha, which is, interpreted, The place of a skull.
And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a great voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, for what hast thou forsaken me?
And Jesus having turned, and seen them following, says to them, What seek ye? They said to him, Rabbi, (It says, being interpreted, Teacher,) where remainest thou
He first finds his own brother Simon, and says to him, We have found Messias, which is, being interpreted, Christ.
And Joses, surnamed Barnabas by the sent, (which is interpreted, Son of consolation,) a Levite, a Cyprian by birth,
And in Joppa was a certain disciple by name Tabitha, which interpreted is called Dorcas: she was full of good works and alms which she did.
And Elymas the magician withstood them, (for so was his name interpreted,) seeking to turn the proconsul from the faith.
And to another performances of powers; and to another discriminations of spirits; and to another kinds of tongues; and to another interpretation of tongues:
All have not the favors of healing: not all speaking with tongues: not all interpret accurately.
And I will ye all to speak with tongues, and rather that ye prophesy; for geater he prophesying, than he speaking with tongues, unless he interpret accurately, that the church receive building up.
Therefore, what is it brethren when ye come together, every one of you has a Psalms, has teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretatior. Let all things be for the building of the house.
Knowing this first, that every prophecy of the writing is not of private solution.