Dreamers

The biblical narrative identifies several Dreamers who receive divine communication through visions of the night to alter the course of history. Abimelech is warned in a dream not to touch a woman who is a prophet’s wife (Genesis 20:3–7). Laban receives a dream in which God commands him not to speak to his fleeing son-in-law either good or bad (Genesis 31:24). Jacob sees a ladder reaching to heaven and receives a promise that his offspring will be like the dust of the earth (Genesis 28:12–15). Joseph dreams of sheaves of wheat and celestial bodies bowing down to him, foreshadowing his future authority (Genesis 37:5–10). While in an Egyptian prison, Pharaoh’s Chief Cupbearer dreams of a vine with three branches that he squeezes into a cup (Genesis 40:9–11). Conversely, Pharaoh’s Chief Baker dreams of three baskets of bread on his head being eaten by birds, a vision that results in his execution (Genesis 40:16–19).

These dreams often require specific interpretation to be understood by those who receive them. Daniel is given the unique ability to understand visions and dreams of all kinds, eventually describing a dream of four great beasts rising from the sea (Daniel 7:1–3). In the New Testament, Pontius Pilate’s Wife sends word to her husband during a trial, stating she suffered many things in a dream because of a righteous man (Matthew 27:19). The Wise Men from the East are warned in a dream not to return to a specific king, leading them to depart for their own country by another way (Matthew 2:12).

The presence of these dreams serves as a mechanism for divine intervention and the preservation of specific lineages. The text indicates that these night visions provide guidance when human logic or physical circumstances are insufficient. By directing the movements of figures like the Wise Men from the East or providing Joseph, with the means to survive imprisonment, these dreams ensure the survival of individuals central to the biblical record. The text does not say why certain individuals receive dreams while others do not, but it presents the phenomenon as a consistent method of communication across different eras and cultures.