The Meaning of Genesis 40:8 Explained

Genesis 40:8

KJV: 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.

YLT: And they say unto him, 'A dream we have dreamed, and there is no interpreter of it;' and Joseph saith unto them, 'Are not interpretations with God? recount, I pray you, to me.'

Darby: And they said to him, We have dreamt a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said to them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me your dreams, I pray you.

ASV: And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell it me, I pray you.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Genesis 40:8 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 40:1-8 - Joseph Fares Well In Prison
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 says that he must be in love with peevishness who chooses to sit down on his little handful of thorns, when there are so many causes that call for him. Wherever in the world we are, there is a fellowship of sad and lonely hearts for us to cultivate. Like Joseph, let us set about helping others, and so find solace and help for ourselves. We must move in and out among our fellows with "a glorious morning face." Keep your sorrows for your Lord and yourself, but learn from your own experiences how to comfort those who are in any sorrow by the comfort with which you yourself have been comforted of God. How quick Joseph was to detect the added anxiety on the two faces! It was because he had known similar alternations of experience. See 2 Corinthians 1:4. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 40

1  The chief butler and baker of Pharaoh are also imprisoned
5  Joseph interprets their dreams
20  They are accomplished according to his interpretation
23  The ingratitude of the butler, in forgetting Joseph

What do the individual words in Genesis 40:8 mean?

and they said to him a dream we have dreamed and interpreter [there is] no of it So said to them Joseph do not belong to God interpretations Tell [them] please to me
וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֔יו חֲל֣וֹם חָלַ֔מְנוּ וּפֹתֵ֖ר אֵ֣ין אֹת֑וֹ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֜ם יוֹסֵ֗ף הֲל֤וֹא לֵֽאלֹהִים֙ ؟ פִּתְרֹנִ֔ים סַפְּרוּ־ נָ֖א לִֽי

וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ  and  they  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֵלָ֔יו  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
חֲל֣וֹם  a  dream 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֲלֹום  
Sense: dream.
חָלַ֔מְנוּ  we  have  dreamed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common plural
Root: חָלַם 
Sense: to dream.
וּפֹתֵ֖ר  and  interpreter 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: פָּתַר  
Sense: (Qal) to interpret (dreams).
אֵ֣ין  [there  is]  no 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
אֹת֑וֹ  of  it 
Parse: Direct object marker, third person masculine singular
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר  So  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֲלֵהֶ֜ם  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
יוֹסֵ֗ף  Joseph 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄוסֵף  
Sense: the eldest son of Jacob by Rachel.
הֲל֤וֹא  do  not 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
לֵֽאלֹהִים֙  belong  to  God 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
؟ פִּתְרֹנִ֔ים  interpretations 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: פִּתָּרֹון  
Sense: interpretation.
סַפְּרוּ־  Tell  [them] 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: סָפַר 
Sense: to count, recount, relate.
נָ֖א  please 
Parse: Interjection
Root: נָא  
Sense: I (we) pray, now, please.
לִֽי  to  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular