3 Principles of Dream Interpretation Found in Joseph’s Dreams 

By John E. Thomas

Joseph is one of the most famous dream interpreters in Scripture, but the beginning of his story is kind of rough. Not because of his ability to interpret his dreams, but because of the way he presented his dreams. 

In Genesis 37, when the Bible first begins to talk about Joseph’s dreams, an unusual relational dynamic is at play in his family. Out of several children, he is clearly his father’s favorite, and he appears to be quite comfortable with this favoritism. 

His brothers (with the exception of Benjamin) know their mothers aren’t as loved as Joseph’s mother. There’s clear jealousy between the mothers, which fuels the jealousy between the children. Also, Jacob has obvious plans to give Joseph the right of firstborn, something out of place with the boy’s birth order. 

In the midst of this significant family tension, God speaks—twice—and seems to confirm the favor Joseph is experiencing. Imagine what that would feel like to a brother who’s endured years of bitter envy and watching his father dote on someone else. 

But God knows what He’s doing with dreams even when we don’t. We’ll talk about that more in a moment. 

Joseph’s First Dream 

Joseph and his brothers were farmers who raised animals and worked the land, so it’s no surprise that his dream takes place in a field.  

In his dream, he’s out there working alongside his brothers when his sheaf of wheat stands upright, and his brothers’ sheaves bow down before it.  

The basic interpretation of this dream is that the work of his hands is going to lift him up above his brothers and put him into a place of prominence, where his brothers will be subject to him. The dream element that helps us reach this interpretation is the sheaf of wheat—this thing Joseph is working on with his hands. 

We look for clues like that in biblical dreams because they help us understand how God uses dreams in general. We can then apply these principles to other dreams, listen to the Holy Spirit, and realize what God is saying. 

Joseph’s Second Dream 

Joseph’s second dream can be summed up in a single sentence: “The sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed down to me.”  

With this dream, Joseph recognized the depth of the authority God was giving to him. It wasn’t just about the works of his hands anymore—there was something heavenly and supernatural about this authority.  

How can we tell? Because this time, the dream doesn’t take place in a field; it takes place in space, in the presence of heavenly bodies. The dream reveals a heavenly or spiritual reality. One day, what God is doing with Joseph will affect everything the sun, moon, and stars shine down upon—the whole known world for Joseph’s family. Not only will his brothers recognize his authority, but his parents will also be subject to it.  

With these dreams, God revealed the future to Joseph—who turned around and eagerly shared it with his family.  

Those dreams drove his brothers to react with violence, and a short time later, they essentially kidnapped Joseph and sold him as a slave. He became the exact opposite of what his dreams proclaimed. 

3 Principles of Dream Interpretation 

Here are three principles of dream interpretation that we can learn from Joseph’s story in Genesis 37. Many things could be noted, but let’s focus on just these three. 

1. It’s Possible for Entire Families to Understand Dreams 

Joseph didn’t need to interpret his dreams himself. His family instantly knew what the dreams meant, because they had a culture of dream interpretation.  

Growing up, Joseph probably heard all about Jacob’s dreams, how Uncle Laban heard God’s voice in a dream, how King Abimelech heard God’s voice in a dream about Abraham. In all likelihood, there were multiple other dreams Joseph heard that weren’t essential to the main story, so they didn’t make it into Scripture.  

You and I can develop this kind of culture in our homes and faith communities by talking about dreams, sharing dream stories, and making dreams a regular topic of conversation. 

2. Dreams Need to Be Shared at the Right Time 

If Joseph hadn’t shared his dreams with his brothers—dreams that clearly promoted him above them—perhaps his story could have been different. Maybe he could have gone to Egypt in a much easier way.  

Sometimes wisdom requires privacy. When you have an important dream, you may want to hold on to it quietly, like Jacob did. He held Joseph’s dream in mind (Gen. 37:11). We could say he pondered it in his heart, similar to what Mary did with the promises about Jesus.  

If you don’t know what to do with a dream, go to the Lord. “Do You want me to share this dream? Is it time? Is this the right person to hear it?”  

3. God’s Promise Will Change You 

We also learn from this story that when God makes a promise, the promise carries the power to change us.  

The Psalms say, “Until what God promised came to pass, the word of the Lord tested Joseph.” The word tested means “to purge.” The promise of God purged Joseph of the things that would keep him from his destiny.  

Joseph couldn’t be proud or haughty if he wanted to fulfill what God had for him. He needed a servant’s heart, which he developed in pain, frustration, and years of slavery and injustice.  

When God finally promoted him to ruler of Egypt, Joseph was so transformed that he later told his brothers, “You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.”  

The promise has the power to align us with God’s will, if we make room for it in our lives.  

Value your dreams and the promises God speaks to you through them. It’s amazing what God can do with a dream.