Genesis 41:11 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Genesis 41:11 kjv
And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream.
Genesis 41:11 nkjv
we each had a dream in one night, he and I. Each of us dreamed according to the interpretation of his own dream.
Genesis 41:11 niv
Each of us had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own.
Genesis 41:11 esv
we dreamed on the same night, he and I, each having a dream with its own interpretation.
Genesis 41:11 nlt
One night the chief baker and I each had a dream, and each dream had its own meaning.
Genesis 41 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 40:5 | And they dreamed a dream... each man his dream in one night... | Original description of the prison dreams |
| Gen 40:8 | "Do not interpretations belong to God?" Joseph’s declaration | Interpretation gift is from God, not man |
| Gen 40:23 | Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgot him. | Divine timing through human forgetting |
| Gen 41:9-13 | The butler's belated remembrance of Joseph's ability. | Immediate narrative context |
| Gen 41:12 | "And there was with us a young man... and he interpreted to us..." | Joseph's immediate action |
| Ps 105:17-19 | He sent a man before them, Joseph... his foot they hurt with fetters... | God's sovereign purpose in Joseph's suffering |
| Dan 2:19-23 | Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision... | Daniel also receives divine dream interpretation for a king |
| Dan 2:28 | But there is a God in heaven that reveals secrets... | God as the ultimate revealer of mysteries |
| Num 12:6 | "If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make Myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream." | God's common mode of revelation via dreams |
| Job 33:15-16 | In a dream, in a vision of the night... He opens the ears of men... | God uses dreams for warning and instruction |
| Prov 16:33 | The lot is cast into the lap, but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD. | God's sovereign hand in all events |
| Rom 8:28 | And we know that all things work together for good... | God's orchestrates circumstances for His will |
| Gen 50:20 | But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good... | Joseph's understanding of God's sovereignty |
| 1 Cor 1:27-28 | But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world... | God uses the humble to confound the wise |
| Phil 2:8-9 | ...humbled Himself... Therefore God also hath highly exalted Him... | Principle of humility preceding exaltation |
| Isa 55:8-9 | "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways..." | God's inscrutable divine wisdom and planning |
| Heb 11:6 | But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. | God rewards faithfulness even in obscurity |
| Ps 113:7-8 | He raises up the poor out of the dust, and lifts the needy out of the dunghill... | God exalting the lowly |
| Ex 7:11-12 | Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers... | Contrast with human magic vs. God's power |
| Gen 37:5-11 | Joseph's own prophetic dreams foreshadowing his future rule. | Foreshadows Joseph's role as interpreter/ruler |
| Zech 1:6 | "But My words and My statutes, which I commanded My servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers?" | God's word and purpose always come to pass |
| Matt 1:20 | But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream... | God uses dreams in the New Testament as well |
Genesis 41 verses
Genesis 41 11 meaning
Genesis 41:11 recounts the chief butler's belated remembrance and explanation to Pharaoh regarding his time in prison with Joseph. It describes how both he and the chief baker had a distinct dream on the same night. The core emphasis is that each dream possessed an inherent meaning ("according to the interpretation of his dream"), implying a pre-ordained message that required supernatural revelation rather than human insight to comprehend. This verse sets the stage for Joseph's divinely bestowed gift of dream interpretation to be introduced to Pharaoh, highlighting the unique nature of these specific dreams and the subsequent accurate predictions.
Genesis 41 11 Context
Genesis 41:11 is spoken by the chief butler in Pharaoh's court, approximately two years after his release from prison (Gen 41:1). It immediately follows Pharaoh's troubling dreams and the inability of all his wise men and magicians to interpret them. The butler, prompted by this crisis, finally remembers Joseph's accurate interpretation of his own dream and the chief baker's dream during their imprisonment.
The broader historical and cultural context involves ancient Egypt's deep fascination with dreams and their interpretation, often seen as messages from gods. Egyptian society had a class of specialized dream interpreters. This cultural backdrop highlights the critical juncture in the narrative: Pharaoh's reliance on human wisdom (his magicians and wise men) fails, creating a void that God, through Joseph, is uniquely positioned to fill. The verse's reference to dreams having a specific "interpretation" ("pitron" in Hebrew) signifies a pre-ordained, accurate meaning, directly challenging the often ambiguous or manipulative interpretations of pagan soothsayers, thus serving as an indirect polemic demonstrating the superiority of Yahweh's revelation over human magical arts.
Genesis 41 11 Word analysis
- And it came to pass (וַיְהִי - vayhi): This common Hebrew narrative device frequently introduces a new, significant stage or event in the unfolding story. It often hints at divine intentionality behind the progression of events, indicating God's orchestrating hand.
- that as we were there, in the prison (בְּבֵית הַסֹּהַר - b'veit ha-sohar): Literally, "in the house of the roundhouse" or "in the house of the prison." This specifies the location, a place of confinement and desperation, yet also where God's providence was actively at work. It highlights Joseph's suffering and the unlikely setting for divine revelation.
- we dreamed a dream (חָלַמְנוּ חֲלוֹם - khalám'nu khalóm): A typical Hebrew construct where the verb and its cognate noun are used together for emphasis. This intensifies the act of dreaming, signifying that it was a genuine, substantive dream experience.
- in one night (בְּלַיְלָה אֶחָד - b'layláh ekhád): This phrase underscores the precise and simultaneous timing of the dreams. The singularity of the night suggests that these were not random or disconnected events, but divinely orchestrated to occur together. This detail subtly points to a common, supernatural source behind both dreams.
- I and he (אֲנִי וָהוּא - aní v'hu): A simple, direct identification of the two individuals involved – the chief butler himself and the chief baker. It highlights their shared, yet individual, experience of receiving dreams from a common, precise source.
- we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream (חָלַמְנוּ אִישׁ כְּפִתְרוֹן חֲלֹמוֹ - khalám'nu ísh k'fitrōn khalomó):
- each man (אִישׁ - ísh): Emphasizes that despite being on the same night and from the same source, each person's dream was distinct and uniquely tailored to his specific fate.
- according to the interpretation (כְּפִתְרוֹן - k'fitrōn): This is a crucial phrase. The Hebrew word פִּתְרוֹן (pitron) refers to a precise, definite, and often prophetic meaning. It is not a subjective guess or a human guess. It indicates that the dream possessed an inherent, divinely revealed truth that simply needed to be unlocked, rather than constructed. This sets up the direct contrast between divine wisdom (Joseph's gift) and human speculation (Pharaoh's magicians).
- of his dream (חֲלֹמוֹ - khalamó): Reinforces that the "interpretation" was specific and uniquely tied to the content of that particular dream.
Genesis 41 11 Bonus section
The deliberate omission of the butler's "remembrance" for two full years is a testament to God's precise timing. The divine timetable was not reliant on human recollection but orchestrated for the opportune moment when Pharaoh's need would be greatest and Joseph's God-given ability would be maximally showcased, elevating him from prison to palace in a single day. This contrast between human forgetfulness and divine remembrance, culminating in perfect timing, vividly illustrates God's sovereignty over every detail, even seemingly random events and human failings. It highlights that God does not waste suffering but refines character and prepares His chosen instruments even in the most difficult circumstances.
Genesis 41 11 Commentary
Genesis 41:11 serves as a vital pivot in the Joseph narrative, bridging his period of suffering with his imminent exaltation. The chief butler's carefully chosen words reveal crucial aspects of divine providence. His emphasis on the dreams occurring "in one night" highlights their shared, orchestrated nature, implying a common, supernatural origin. More significantly, his assertion that each dream was "according to the interpretation of his dream" underscores the absolute accuracy and pre-ordained meaning inherent in these divine communications. This stands in stark contrast to the futile attempts of Pharaoh's human-dependent wise men and sets the stage for the true, God-given wisdom embodied by Joseph. The verse confirms that God was patiently, precisely, and providentially working behind the scenes, turning the delay, suffering, and a forgetful butler's opportune recollection into the exact means for Joseph's release and eventual placement at the pinnacle of Egyptian power for His greater redemptive purposes.