Commentaries Dictionaries Concordances

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Genesis 40:8

none that can interpret it The Egyptians regarded the interpretation of dreams as a science requiring special study; or as a department of magic needing special initiation. Had the two officials been at liberty, they would have each repaired to their special soothsayer or dream-interpreter for an explanation of the dream that had so greatly disturbed them.

belong to God Joseph claims that the interpretation of dreams is neither science nor magic. The man, to whom God reveals His secrets, alone can interpret them. He himself does not pretend to interpret. But, possibly, God may make use of His servant to make known His mind, cf. Genesis 41:16; Genesis 41:38-39 and Daniel 2:19; Daniel 2:28; Daniel 2:47.

Continues after advertising

See also Genesis 40:8 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 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...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    - Joseph in Prison An uncomplaining patience and an unhesitating hopefulness keep the breast of Joseph in calm tranquillity. There is a God above, and that God is with him. His soul swerves not from...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 40 JOSEPH THE INTERPRETER OF DREAMS _ 1. The fellow prisoners (Genesis 40:1)_ 2. The dream of the chief butler (Genesis 40:9) 3. The interpretation (Genesis 40:12) 4. Joseph's request ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    GENESIS 40. JOSEPH INTERPRETS THEIR DREAMS TO PHARAOH'S TWO IMPRISONED OFFICERS. This chapter is from E, with harmonistic additions and touches from J (Genesis 40:3_ b_, Genesis 40:5_ b_, Genesis 40:1...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    DO NOT INTERPRETATIONS, &C.— That is, says Calmet, "the explanation of your dreams depends not on a diviner; it is God who reveals it to the diviner himself, [if it be revealed] and who can reveal it...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    2. _Joseph as Prisoner in Egypt_ (Genesis 39:1 to Genesis 41:45). 39 And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh'S, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of t...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _AND THEY DREAMED A DREAM BOTH OF THEM, EACH MAN HIS DREAM IN ONE NIGHT, EACH MAN ACCORDING TO THE INTERPRETATION OF HIS DREAM, THE BUTLER AND THE BAKER OF THE KING OF EGYPT, WHICH WERE BOUND IN THE P...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    JOSEPH INTERPRETS THE DREAMS OF PHARAOH'S OFFICERS 1. Butler] rather, 'cupbearer,' a high court official: cp. Nehemiah 1:11; Nehemiah 2:1. BAKER] rather, 'cook.' It is conjectured that these official...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    No professional interpreter was available: see on Genesis 41:8. DO NOT INTERPRETATIONS, etc.] i.e. It may be that God who sent the dreams will give me the interpretation of them. 9-11. Grape juice mix...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    GOD’S ANCIENT PEOPLE GENESIS _ALUN OWEN_ CHAPTER 40 THE *CUP-BEARER AND THE BAKER IN PRISON V1 Some time after this, the king of Egypt’s *cup-bearer offended his master the king. And the king’s...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    They said, ‘There is nobody who can explain their meanings to us.’ In *Pharaoh’s court there were wise men. These wise men believed that they could tell the meanings of dreams. But the *cup-bearer and...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    THERE IS NO INTERPRETER. — In Egypt it was the business of men trained for the purpose, called in Genesis 41:8, _magicians_ and _wise men,_ to interpret dreams, and to such the butler and baker could...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֔יו חֲלֹ֣ום חָלַ֔מְנוּ וּ פ

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    JOSEPH FARES WELL IN PRISON Genesis 39:19; Genesis 40:1 These two men remind us of the two thieves crucified beside our Lord; to the one He was a savor of life, to the other of death. Jeremy Taylor s...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The works of God are ever characterized by simplicity. No study is more fascinating in the Divine Oracles or in human experience than the wonderful mosaic of the divine government. If it may be stated...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    GOD WAS WITH JOSEPH IN PRISON Again, the Lord was with Joseph. He caused the keeper of the prison to look on Joseph with mercy. Eventually, the keeper placed all under Joseph's authority, just as Pot...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and [there is] no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, (c) [Do] not interpretations [belong] to God? tell me [them], I pray you. (c) Cannot G...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Doth not interpretation belong to God? When dreams are from God, as these were, the interpretation of them is a gift of God. But the generality of dreams are not of this sort; but either proceed from...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    How piously Joseph refers all wisdom unto GOD! Isaiah 41:22; Daniel 2:28....

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    Having already shown the position of Isaac, I resume briefly with the remark that he stands before us clearly as the representative of the Son, and this too as dead, risen, and in heaven. All will und...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 37 THROUGH 41. What follows from chapter 37 is the interesting history of Joseph, to which even children ever yield a ready ear, although ignorant of all the...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    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 t...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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. Ver. 8. _And the...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Do not interpretations belong to God?_ He means the God whom he worshipped, to the knowledge of whom he endeavours hereby to lead them. _And_ if _interpretations belong to God_, he is a free agent, a...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 The Butler and Baker of Pharaoh in prison. 4 Ioseph hath charge of them. 5 He interpreteth their dreames. 20 They come to passe according to his interpretation. 23 The ingratitude of the Butler....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    AND THEY SAID UNTO HIM, WE HAVE DREAMED A DREAM, AND THERE IS NO INTERPRETER OF IT. The interpretation of dreams, which were in those days considered omens for good or evil, was in the hands of a spec...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE DREAMS OF THE TWO PRISONERS...

  • Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures

    FOURTH SECTION _Joseph as interpreter of the dreams of his fellow-prisoners_. GENESIS 40:1-23 1And it came to pass after these things _that_ the butler of the king of Egypt, and _his_ baker, had off...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    JOSEPH, INTERPRETER OF DREAMS Two men are seen now to be committed to Joseph's care in the prison, the cup bearer and the baker of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. It is not told us for what offenses they wer...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-19 It was not so much the prison that made the butler and baker sad, as their dreams. God has more ways than one to sadden the spirits. Joseph had compassion towards them. Let us be concerned for t...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    THERE IS NO INTERPRETER OF IT, to wit, with us, or to whom we can now resort; for otherwise there were many in Egypt of that profession, GENESIS 41:8. DO NOT INTERPRETATIONS BELONG TO GOD? In vain do...

  • Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh

    In Genesis 1:23 Satan uses Potiphar's wife, and in Genesis 1:23 he uses Pharaoh's chief butler. The former he used to put Joseph into the dungeon; and the latter he used to keep him there, through his...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Genesis 40:8 said H559 (H8799) had H2492 (H8804) dream H2472 interpreter H6622 (H8802) Joseph H3130 said...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘And Joseph came in to them in the morning and saw them, and behold, they were sad. And he asked Pharaoh's officers who were in custody with him in his master's house, “Why are you looking so sad toda...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Joseph in prison in Egypt. Interprets dreams. CHARACTERS: Butler, baker, captain of guard, Joseph, Potiphar. CONCLUSION: Whatever our lot in God's providence, we may ever be a blessing to...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Genesis 40:4. _Captain of the guard;_ that is, Potiphar who had a controul over the gaoler. It would seem, by enlarging Joseph's liberty in prison, that he now believed his asseverations of innocence:...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _The captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them_ LIGHT UPON JOSEPH’S DESTINY This chapter discovers signs that Joseph was destined to fill an important place in the history of...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    GENESIS—NOTE ON GENESIS 40:1 Some time after Joseph was imprisoned (ch. Genesis 39:1), two royal attendants are imprisoned for offending Pharaoh. With God’s help, Joseph interprets their dreams. This...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    GENESIS—NOTE ON GENESIS 40:5 In the ancient Near East, DREAMS were often viewed as a medium of divine revelation. ⇐...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.— The butler.] “The cupbearer and overseer of the WINE—MAKING and storing and serving, an important officer of the king. (2 Kings 18:17.) He was now a state prisoner for an offence agai...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION GENESIS 40:1 AND IT CAME TO PASS (literally, _and it was_) AFTER THESE THINGS (literally, _words_, _i.e._ after the transactions just recorded), THAT THE BUTLER—מָשְׁקֶה, the hiph. part. o...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    For the correlating audio message go to Chapter 39 It came to pass after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker had offended their lord the king of Egypt. And Pharaoh was ang...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Do not, etc. Genesis 41:15 Genesis 41:16 Job 33:15 Job 33:16 Psalms 25:14...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    JOSEPH IN PRISON Genesis 40:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS We left Joseph, in chapter 39, in prison under the order of Potiphar, captain of the guard. Chapter forty of Genesis discovers to us several importan...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Do not interpretations belong to God? — He means the God whom he worshipped, to the knowledge of whom he endeavours hereby to lead them. And if interpretations belong to God, he is a free agent, and m...

Continues after advertising