Genesis 40:7-9

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 40:5-19

Observe, I. The special providence of God, which filled the heads of these two prisoners with unusual dreams, such as made extraordinary impressions upon them, and carried with them evidences of a divine origin, both in one night. Note, God has immediate access to the spirits of men, which he can make serviceable to his own purposes whenever he pleases, quite beyond the intention of those concerned. To him all hearts are open, and anciently he spoke not only to his own people, but to others,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 40:7

And he asked Pharaoh's officers that were with him ,.... The chief butler and baker that were committed to his care, and with whom he now was: in the ward of the lord's house ; this seems to confirm what is before observed, that the captain of the guard that charged Joseph with them was Potiphar his master; though indeed the keeper of the prison that was under Potiphar, the captain of the guard, might be called Joseph's lord or master, but the house could not with so much propriety be... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible 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,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 40:9

And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph ,.... He listened to what Joseph said, and paid a regard to it, and began to think he might be able to interpret his dream, and therefore was forward, and the first to tell him it at once; whereas the chief baker did not seem disposed to do it, until he observed the good interpretation given of the butler's dream, Genesis 40:16 , and said unto him, in my dream, behold, a vine was before me ; it appeared to him in his dream, as if a vine... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 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. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 40:1-23

Joseph in the round house at Heliopolis. I. THE PRISONERS AND THEIR ATTENDANT . 1. The prisoners . 2. Their attendant . In this new capacity Joseph behaved himself wisely and with discretion. With regard to his illustrious companions in misfortune, he— II. THE DREAMS AND THEIR INTERPRETATIONS . 1. The dreams — 2. Their interpretations . These were— III. THE INTERPRETER AND HIS REWARD . 1. The interpreter ' s request . ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 40:1-23

The inspired man. Joseph is already supreme in the narrow sphere of the prison: "all was committed to his hand." The narrow sphere prepares him for the wider. The spiritual supremacy has now to be revealed. "Do not interpretations belong to God?" The dreams are partly of man and partly of. God. Each man dreamed of things connected with his life. The butler of the wine coming from the grape-clusters, pressed into Pharaoh's cup, given into his hand. The baker of the white baskets and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 40:6-7

And Joseph came in unto them in the morning (a proof that Joseph at this time enjoyed comparative freedom from corporeal restraint in the prison), and looked upon them, and, behold, they were sad. The word זֹעֲפִים from זָעַף , to be angry, originally signifying irate, wrathful, τεταραγμένοι ( LXX .), is obviously intended rather to convey the idea of dejection, tristes (Vulgate). And he asked Pharaoh's officers that were With him in the ward of his lord's house, saying,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 40:8

And they said unto him, We hays dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it —literally, a dream have we dreamt, and interpreting it there is none . This must be noted as a third peculiarity connected with these dreams, that both of their recipients were similarly affected by them, though there was much in the butler's dream to inspire hope rather than dejection. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God ?—literally, Are not interpretations to Elohim? i.e. ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 40:8

The interpreter of God's message. We cannot but notice the importance often assigned in the Bible to dreams, as channels of revelation from God. The dreams of Jacob and of Pharaoh, and passages such as Deuteronomy 13:1 and Joel 2:28 , show this. It may be that in the absence of the written word, which in its completeness is our heritage, God's message was thus given to them in portions. Applying this thought to the circumstances of the text, we see men who had received a message from... read more

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