DREAM

The orientals, and in particular the Jews, greatly regarded dreams, and applied for their interpretation to those who undertook to explain them. We see the antiquity of this custom in the history of Pharaoh’s butler and baker, Ge 40:1-23; and Pharaoh himself and Nebuchadnezzar are also instances. God expressly forbade his people to observe dreams, and to consult explainers of them. He condemned to death all who pretended to have prophetic dreams, even though what they foretold came to pass, if they had any tendency to promote idolatry, De 13:1-3. But they were not forbidden, when they thought they had a significant dream, to address the prophets of the Lord, or the high priest in his ephod, to have it explained. The Lord frequently made known his will in dreams, and enabled persons to explain them, Ge 20:3-7 28:12-15 1Sa 28:6 Da 2:1-49 Joe 2:28 Mt 1:20 Ac 27:22. Supernatural dreams are distinguished from visions, in that the former occurred during sleep, and the latter when the person was awake. God spoke to Abimelech in a dream, but to Abraham by vision. In both cases he left on the mind an assurance of the certainty of whatever he revealed. Both are now superseded by the Bible, our sure and sufficient guide through earth to heaven.

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Dream. Dream
God has frequently made use of dreams in communicating his will to men. The most remarkable instances of this are recorded in the history of Jacob (Gen. 28:12; 31:10), Laban (31:24), Joseph (37:9-11), Gideon (Judg. 7), and Solomon (1 Kings 3:5). Other significant dreams are also recorded, such as those of Abimelech (Gen. 20:3-7), Pharaoh’s chief butler and baker (40:5), Pharaoh (41:1-8), the Midianites (Judg. 7:13), Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 2:1; 4:10, 18), the wise men from the east (Matt. 2:12), and Pilate’s wife (27:19).

To Joseph “the Lord appeared in a dream,” and gave him instructions regarding the infant Jesus (Matt. 1:20; 2:12, 13, 19). In a vision of the night a “man of Macedonia” stood before Paul and said, “Come over into Macedonia and help us” (Acts 16:9; see also 18:9; 27:23).

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DREAM. → Evanescent Job 20:8 → Vanity of Ec 5:3,7 → INSTANCES OF
* Of Abimelech,, concerning Sarah Ge 20:3
* Of Jacob, concerning the ladder Ge 28:12
* The ring-straked cattle Ge 31:10-13
* Concerning his going down into Egypt Ge 46:2
* Of Laban, concerning Jacob Ge 31:24
* Of Joseph, concerning the sheaves Ge 37:5-10
* Of Midianite concerning the cake of barley Jud 7:13
* Of Solomon, concerning his choice of wisdom 1Ki 3:3-15
* Of Eliphaz, of a spirit speaking to him Job 4:12-21
* Of Daniel, concerning the four beasts Da 7
* Of Joseph, concerning Mary's innocence Mt 1:20,21
* Concerning the flight into Egypt Mt 2:13
* Concerning the return into Palestine Mt 2:19-22
* Of Pilate's wife, concerning Jesus Mt 27:19
* Cornelius vision, concerning Peter Ac 10:3-6
* Peter's vision of the ceremonially unclean creatures Ac 10:10-16
* Paul's vision of the man in Macedonia, crying, Come over into Macedonia, Ac 16:9
* Relating to his going to Rome Ac 23:11
* Concerning the shipwreck, and the safety of all on board Ac 28:23,24
* Revelations by Nu 12:6; Jer 23:28; Joe 2:28; Ac 2:17
* The dreams of the butler and baker Ge 40:8-23
* Pharaoh Ge 41:1-36
* Interpreted by Joseph Ge 40:12,13,18,19; 41:25-32
* Daniel Da 2:16-23,28-30; 4
* Delusive Isa 29:7,8
* False prophets pretended to receive revelations through De 13:1-5; Jer 23:25-32; 27:9; 29:8; Zec 10:2
* See VISION

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dream. Dream, n. thought in sleep, an idle fancy, a whim

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Dream (drēm), n. [[Akin to OS. drōm, D. droom, G. traum, Icel. draumr, Dan. & Sw. dröm; cf. G. trügen to deceive, Skr. druh to harm, hurt, try to hurt. AS. dreám joy, gladness, and OS. drōm joy are, perh., different words; cf. Gr. θρυ̑λοσ noise.]] 1. 1. The thoughts, or series of thoughts, or imaginary transactions, which occupy the mind during sleep; a sleeping vision.
Dreams are but interludes which fancy makes. Dryden. I had a dream which was not all a dream. Byron. 2. 2. A visionary scheme; a wild conceit; an idle fancy; a vagary; a revery; — in this sense, applied to an imaginary or anticipated state of happiness; as, a dream of bliss; the dream of his youth.
There sober thought pursued the amusing theme, Till Fancy colored it and formed a dream. Pope. It is not them a mere dream, but a very real aim which they propose. J. C. Shairp.