Thanks to a cross-reference note in the Bible I’m reading, I saw something new in Genesis 41. Joseph is still in prison. The chief butler forgot about Joseph, and it’s two years after the dreams of Genesis 40. Pharaoh has a dream, and his staff of magicians can’t interpret it. In Daniel 2, Nebuchadnezzar has a dream, and he expects his magicians to tell him what the dream was and then interpret it!
Watch what happens in both cases:
Then the chief cupbearer spoke to Pharaoh, saying, “I would bring to remembrance today my own offenses. Pharaoh was furious with his servants, and he put me in confinement in the house of the captain of the bodyguard, both me and the chief baker. And we had a dream on the same night, he and I; each of us dreamed according to the interpretation of his own dream. Now there was with us a Hebrew youth, a slave of the captain of the bodyguard, and we recounted them to him, and he interpreted our dreams for us. To each one he interpreted according to his own dream…Then Pharaoh sent and called for Joseph, and they rushed him out of the pit; and he shaved himself and changed his clothes, and he came to Pharaoh. (Genesis 41.9 – 14, LSB)
Therefore, Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon; he went and said thus to him: “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon! Bring me before the king, and I will declare the interpretation to the king.” Then Arioch hurriedly brought Daniel before the king and said thus to him: “I have found a man among the exiles from Judah who can make the interpretation known to the king!” (Daniel 2.24, 25, LSB)
The commonality that the cross-reference highlighted was:
- “…they rushed him out of the pit”
- “…Arioch hurriedly brought Daniel before the king”
Both have urgency in them. When the King needs something, it’s urgent! In addition:
- Both men were foreigners: Hebrews in a foreign court.
- Joseph was a slave, in prison.
- Daniel wasn’t a slave, technically, but he was a captive.
- Both knew how to interpret dreams.
- Joseph had done it before, his own, and the butler and baker in the prison
- Daniel had not, but he knew God.
- Both men gave God the credit
Joseph then answered Pharaoh, saying, “ It is not in me; God will answer concerning the welfare of Pharaoh.” (Genesis 41.16, LSB)
The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen and its interpretation?” Daniel answered before the king and said, “As for the mystery about which the king is asking, neither wise men, conjurers, magicians, nor diviners are able to declare it to the king. However, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will take place in the last days. This was your dream and the visions of your head while on your bed. (Daniel 2.26 – 28, LSB)
- Both men were elevated after the interpretations. I’ll write more about Joseph’s promotion tomorrow.
“They rushed him out of the pit.” Joseph had been in captivity 13 years! Some serving as a slave to Potiphar and the rest in prison serving the captain of the guard. 13 years, but when it’s time for a change, “They rushed…”
The least of you will become a thousand, the smallest a mighty nation. I am the LORD; in its time I will do this swiftly. (Isaiah 60.22, NIV, emphasis mine)