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.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And the {astrologers} said to the king [in] Aramaic, "O king, live forever! Tell the dream to your servants and we will reveal the explanation."
For just as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of the body, [although they] are many, are one body, thus also Christ.
Not all have gifts of healing, [do they]? Not all speak with tongues, [do they]? Not all interpret, [do they]?
Now I want you all to speak with tongues, but even more that you may prophesy. The one who prophesies [is] greater than the one who speaks with tongues, unless he interprets, in order that the church may receive edification.
Therefore the one who speaks in a tongue must pray that he may interpret.
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 happened [that] in the morning his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called all of the magicians of Egypt, and all its wise men, and Pharaoh told his dream to them. But {they had no interpretation} for Pharaoh.
Now they did not know that Joseph understood, for the interpreter [was] between them.
And thus [in the matter of] the envoys of the commanders of Babylon who had been sent to him to seek the sign that had happened in the land, God forsook him, to test him [and] to know all [that was] in his heart.
And in the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their colleagues wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia. The letter was written in Aramaic and translated from Aramaic.
"If there is a messenger beside him, a mediator, one of a thousand, to declare to a human being his uprightness
Your first ancestor sinned, and your {representatives} transgressed against me.
So the king said to call the magicians and the conjurers and the sorcerers and the {astrologers} to tell to the king his dreams. And they came in and they stood {before} the king.
And a decree was {sent out}, [ordering that] all [the] wise men of Babylon [were] to be brought in before me [so] that they may make known to me [the] explanation of the dream.
But [as] he was considering these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary [as] your wife, for what has been conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
"Behold, the virgin {will become pregnant} and will give birth to a son, and they will call his name Emmanuel," which is translated, "God with us."
And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back to their [own] country by another route. Now [after] they had gone away, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph, saying, "Get up, take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. For Herod is about to seek the child to destroy him."
Now [after] Herod had died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
But [when he] heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream, he took refuge in the regions of Galilee.
And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" (that is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?")
And taking hold of the child's hand, he said to her, "Talitha koum!" (which is translated, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!"),
And they brought him to the place Golgotha (which is translated "Place of a Skull").
And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" (which is translated, "My God, my God, {why} have you forsaken me?")
And Jesus, turning around and seeing them following [him], said to them, "What do you seek?" And they said to him, "Rabbi" (which means [when] translated "Teacher"), "where are you staying?"
This one first found his own brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah!" (which is translated "Christ").
So Joseph, who was called Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated "son of encouragement"), a Levite of Cyprus by nationality,
Now in Joppa there was a certain female disciple {named} Tabitha (which translated means "Dorcas"). She was full of good deeds and charitable giving which she was constantly doing.
But Elymas the magician (for his name is translated in this way) opposed them, attempting to turn the proconsul away from the faith.
to another {miraculous powers}, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing of spirits, to another kinds of tongues, to another interpretation of tongues.
Not all have gifts of healing, [do they]? Not all speak with tongues, [do they]? Not all interpret, [do they]?
Now I want you all to speak with tongues, but even more that you may prophesy. The one who prophesies [is] greater than the one who speaks with tongues, unless he interprets, in order that the church may receive edification.
Therefore the one who speaks in a tongue must pray that he may interpret.
{Therefore what should you do}, brothers? Whenever you come together, each one of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. All [things] must be [done] for edification.
recognizing this above all, that every prophecy of scripture does not come about from one's own interpretation,