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SERIES B --- A CHOSEN PEOPLE --- LESSON 14
REVEALING DREAMS
THE KING’S MEN AND THEIR STRANGE DREAMS
From Genesis 40
While Joseph was in prison, two other men were sent there by Pharaoh, king of Egypt. The king’s chief baker and the man who tasted the king’s wine and carried his wine cup had each done something to make the king angry. To punish them, he sent them to Potiphar’s prison, with orders that they should stay there for a long time. It was Joseph’s job to take care of these two men, for Potiphar made him their personal servant. One morning, when they both looked sad, Joseph asked about the problem. [Why do you both look so sad?] Joseph asked them. [We have had strange dreams,] they answered. [There is no one to tell us what these dreams mean.] [YHVH can help us know what your dreams mean,] Joseph answered. [Tell me about them.] The cupbearer told Joseph what he had dreamed. [There was a vine with three branches,] he said. [Buds and blossoms came on those branches then grew into ripe grapes. With one hand I held Pharaoh’s wine cup, and with my other hand I squeezed the grapes into the cup and gave it to Pharaoh to drink.] [This is what your dream means,] said Joseph. [The three branches are three days. Within three days Pharaoh will take you out of here and give your job back to you. When he does, please tell him about me and ask him to get me out of here. I was kidnapped from my own country and now I’m in prison for something I didn’t do.] When the chief baker heard the good news about the cupbearer’s dream, he told Joseph about his dream. [There were three baskets of bakery goods stacked on top of my head,] he said. [The food in the top basket was for Pharaoh but some birds flew down and ate it.] [Your three baskets are also three days,] said Joseph. [Within three days, Pharaoh will cut off your head and put you on a pole for the birds to eat.] Three days later, Pharaoh gave himself a birthday party and invited all the important people in his government and household. At that time, he took the baker and cupbearer from prison. He let the cupbearer go back to work for him, but he had the baker put to death, just as Joseph had said. Happily, settled in his old job, the cupbearer completely forgot about Joseph and all the things that Joseph had asked him to do when he was released from prison.
COMMENTARY
WEALTHY LIVING IN ANCIENT EGYPT
In the centuries before the Bible was written, YHVH often communicated messages to men by dreams. But dreams must be understood. In prison Joseph was called on to interpret the dreams of two high Egyptian officials. YHVH revealed the meaning to Joseph and so prepared the way for Joseph’s later release. Only about three percent of Egypt’s population could be considered rich. These were members of royalty and the court, high government officials and priests. As trade with other countries grew, some merchants were included among the wealthy. The rich in the towns lived in three-story houses surrounded by walled courtyards. They were large enough to have separate rooms for all important activities -- cooking, dining, baking, sleeping, entertainment and storage. Homes in the country were many-acre estates. The living area, surrounded by a walled garden, was made up of several houses, one for each major activity. Almost any occasion was a reason for a party or banquet, and the ancient Egyptian calendar was full of holidays and feast days. The parties were large and elaborate. Tables were stocked high with food and drink. Dancers, musicians, acrobats, wrestlers, magicians and storytellers offered entertainment. They might be hired for the occasion, but the very rich frequently kept them permanently in one of their houses. For every day, wealthy Egyptians dressed simply, going barefoot as often as they wore sandals. But for special occasions, the women dressed in rich clothes, wore wigs and complicated makeup, and adorned themselves with much jewellery. Hunting and fishing trips were common. The household servants accompanied the group on these overnight expeditions. Animals were hunted with dogs, bows and arrows, spears, a kind of boomerang and slingshots. Fish, sought from light skiffs, were caught with nets and spears. Egyptians captured birds both for food and for their beauty. The insides of Egyptian homes were covered with colourful wall hangings and rugs. The dining hall was elegant, furnished with elaborately carved small tables and chairs. Plates, bowls, pitchers and cups were highly decorated and often made from precious metals or carved from one large piece of a semiprecious stone. Since gold was fairly common in Egypt, the rich used many utensils made of that metal, but the sign of true wealth was silver; it was much rarer, and therefore much more expensive. Wood was hard to come by, and alabaster; a white, translucent stone; was often used instead. It was made into boxes, headrests, jars, and even small chairs. Food was plentiful in ancient Egypt, certainly for the rich. Vegetables were common, with onions and leeks used in abundance. Figs, dates and melons were the usual fruits; pomegranates were considered a curious, rare food. Servants and slaves were everywhere. They did all the work in the household. But some were almost constantly with their mistresses or masters, helping them dress, adorn themselves, do their hair and apply makeup, even bathe. The wealthy three percent in ancient Egypt kept a much larger percentage of the population very busy indeed.
Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.
#proverbs 4:23
Springs of life flow from the heart only if the heart is intently learning and guarding wisdom, especially from God's Law. Otherwise, it produces death.
On this date in history, 12/16/1769: Alexander McDougall and the Sons of Liberty publish "To the Betrayed Inhabitants of the City and Colony of New York". #otd #tdih #nyc http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.....edu/history/burrows/
#goodmorning and #happyfriday! December 16 #biblestudy links to readings and study resources:
https://alittleperspective.com..../december-16-bible-r
Today’s Old Testament chronological reading is in Zechariah 13 and 14.
The Psalms/ Proverbs reading is in Proverbs 16.
The New Testament reading is in Revelation 12.
Links to previous studies.
Zechariah 13 and 14, Hebrew paragraph divisions, 7th prophetic message chiastic structure and explanation
https://alittleperspective.com..../zechariah-13-and-14
Zechariah 13 and 14, And the prophecy of the Day of YHVH
https://alittleperspective.com/zechariah-13-14/
The book of Zechariah chiastic structure
https://alittleperspective.com..../book-of-zechariah-c
Proverbs 16, Chiastic structure, and the balancing scales of mercy and truth
https://alittleperspective.com/proverbs-16-2016/
Proverbs 16, And a tale of two hearts
https://alittleperspective.com/proverbs-16/
Revelation 12, The identity of the woman and dragon
https://alittleperspective.com..../revelation-12-the-i
Revelation 12, The war in heaven
https://alittleperspective.com..../revelation-12-the-w
Revelation 12, Seven heads and ten horns
https://alittleperspective.com..../revelation-12-seven
Revelation 12, The woman in the wilderness
https://alittleperspective.com..../revelation-12-the-w
Revelation 12, Chiastic structure
https://alittleperspective.com/revelation-12-2016/
December 2022 Bible Reading Schedule
https://alittleperspective.com..../december-2022-bible
#bible #dailybread #fearnotfriday
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John 10; 22—23, “At that time the Feast of Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple courts in Solomon’s porch.” The Feast of Dedication is Hanukkah, Solomon’s porch was an area on the temple mount where the followers of Yeshua/Jesus would gather.
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