Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

DREAMS

In the ancient Near East generally, dreams and the interpretation of dreams must be considered in the wider category of omens and omen interpretation (including reading liver deformities, the shapes and patterns of smoke, oil in water, flights of birds). However, dreams were considered among the least trustworthy forms of divining.

Although there are occasions where dreams (Heb. ḥălôm) are important communications from God to Hebrews (Jacob’s famous dream in Gen. 28:12), this form of communication is contrasted with the directness with which God spoke to Moses (Num. 12:6-8), and dreams are certainly condemned as less than trustworthy by Jeremiah (Jer. 23:27, 32; 29:8) and of little value to the Psalmist (Ps. 73:20; 90:5). From the suspicions of prophecy by omen and dream in Deut. 13:1-5 to the late opinion of Sir. 34:7 (“For dreams have deceived many, and those who put their hope in them have perished”), one can trace this early Hebraic ambivalence with regard to dreams as trustworthy sources of information.

It seems clear, however, that not all biblical texts share this negative assessment. Although God occasionally communicates to foreigners in dreams (Abimelech in Gen. 20; ; Laban in Gen. 31; ; perhaps Amalekites and Midianites, Judg. 7:13-15), the highest incidence of dreams and dreaming in the OT surrounds the two figures of Joseph (Gen. 37–41) and Daniel. Since both cycles of Hebraic tales are likely from the same postexilic period, this is further indication that dreams became more important in the late Persian and Hellenistic periods. Both Joseph and Daniel are not only famous dreamers themselves, but become famous in foreign courts based on their successful interpretations of the dreams of the emperor, whether Pharaoh or Nebuchadnezzar. Mordecai dreams, according to the Greek Additions to Esther (Add. Esth. 11:2-12; cf. Ezra’s apocalyptic dreams in 2 Esdras). Dreams are prominent, often occurring with “visions” (Gk. hórama) in the apocalyptic literature, and are often difficult to differentiate from visionary experiences while awake. If it is true that Hebrew interest in dreams increases in the Hellenistic period, surely this is a reflection of the widespread, and lively, Hellenistic interest in dreams. Greek sources show a serious interest in dreams, and it is from Artemidorus that we have the oldest (and surprisingly comprehensive) ancient manual of dream interpretation.

In the Gospel of Matthew, God communicates by dreams (to the “wise men,” Matt. 2:12; to Joseph, 1:20; 2:13-22; and in an echo of the Hebraic literary tradition, to Pilate’s wife, 27:19). Significantly, however, dreams do not occur as a major factor outside Matthew (cf. Acts 2:17, quoting Joel 2:28), which most likely reflects a certain early Christian hesitancy to be associated with pagan practices.

Bibliography. Artemidorus, The Interpretation of Dreams, trans. R. J. White (Park Ridge, N.J., 1975); R. Gnuse, The Dream Theophany of Samuel (Lanham, Md., 1984); A. L. Oppenheim, The Interpretation of Dreams in the Ancient Near East (Philadelphia, 1956).

Daniel L. Smith-Christopher

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

DREAMS

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)