Quotations from Scripture and Other Writings Related to Dreams
by Darla Turlington
God Speaks Through Dreams and Visions
After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, “Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.”
—Gen. 15:1
But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, “You are about to die because of the woman whom you have taken; for she is a married woman.”
—Gen. 20:3 [similarly in Gen. 31:11, to Jacob and 31:24, to Laban]
And he [Jacob] dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, the top of it reaching to heaven; and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
—Gen. 28:12
Once Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more.
—Gen. 37:5 [and often of Joseph in Genesis 37-42]
And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” Joseph answered Pharaoh, “It is not I; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer….”
—Gen. 41:15-16
God spoke to Israel in visions of the night, and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here I am.”
—Gen. 46:2
the oracle of one who hears the words of God,
and knows the knowledge of the Most High,
who sees the vision of the Almighty,
who falls down, but with his eyes uncovered:
—Num. 24:4,16 [Balaam]
Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD under Eli. The word of the LORD was rare in those days; visions were not widespread.
—I Sam. 3:1
But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan… In accordance with all these words and with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.
—2 Sam. 7:4,17
Then you spoke in a vision to your faithful one, and said:
“I have set the crown on one who is mighty,
I have exalted one chosen from the people [David].
—Psalm 89:19
At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask what I should give you.” —I Kings 3:5
The vision of Isaiah son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
—Isa. 1:1 [also said of Obadiah and Nahum]
…as he was commanded by the prophet Isaiah, who was great and trustworthy in his visions.
—Sir. 48:22b
The spirit lifted me up and brought me in a vision by the spirit of God into Chaldea, to the exiles. Then the vision that I had seen left me.
—Ezk. 11:24 [also 40:2]
It was Ezekiel who saw the vision of glory, which God showed him above the chariot of the cherubim.
—Sir. 49:8
To these four young men God gave knowledge and skill in every aspect of literature and wisdom; Daniel also had insight into all visions and dreams.
—Dan. 1:17
Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night, and Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
—Dan. 2:19 and often
The king said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to tell me the dream that I have seen and its interpretation?” Daniel answered the king, “No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or diviners can show to the king the mystery that the king is asking, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has disclosed to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen at the end of days. Your dream and the visions of your head as you lay in bed were these: …”
—Dan. 2:26-28
There is a man in your kingdom who is endowed with a spirit of the holy gods. In the days of your father he was found to have enlightenment, understanding, and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, made him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and diviners, because an excellent spirit, knowledge, and understanding to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will give the interpretation.”
—Dan. 5:11-13
For you are more blessed than many, and you have been called to be with the Most High as few have been. But tomorrow night you shall remain here, and the Most High will show you in those dream visions what the Most High will do to those who inhabit the earth in the last days.
—II Esd. 10:57-59 [and often in II Esd. 10-15]
But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
—Matt. 1:20 (2:12, 13,19,22)
Then afterward I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.
—Joel 2:28, Acts 2:17
Prophets and Dreamers
And he said, “Hear my words: When there are prophets among you,
I the LORD make myself known to them in visions; I speak to them in dreams”
—Num. 12:6
But those prophets or those who divine by dreams shall be put to death for having spoken treason against the LORD your God.
—Deut. 13:5
When Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him, not by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets.
—I Sam. 28:6
These also reel with wine and stagger with strong drink; the priest and the prophet reel with strong drink, they are confused with wine, they stagger with strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in giving judgment.
—Isa. 21:7
The vision of all this has become for you like the words of a sealed document. If it is given to those who can read, with the command, “Read this,” they say, “We cannot, for it is sealed.”
—Isa.29:11
Thus says the LORD of hosts: Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you; they are deluding you. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD.
—Jer. 23:16
See, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams, says the LORD, and who tell them, and who lead my people astray by their lies and their recklessness, when I did not send them or appoint them; so they do not profit this people at all, says the LORD.
—Jer. 23:32
Your prophets have seen for you false and deceptive visions; they have not exposed your iniquity to restore your fortunes, but have seen oracles for you that are false and misleading.
—Lam. 2:14
I spoke to the prophets;
it was I who multiplied visions,
and through the prophets I will bring destruction.
—Hosea 12:10
For there is still a vision for the appointed time; it speaks of the end, and does not lie. If it seems to tarry, wait for it; it will surely come, it will not delay.
—Hab. 2:3
For the teraphim utter nonsense, and the diviners see lies; the dreamers tell false dreams, and give empty consolation. Therefore the people wander like sheep; they suffer for lack of a shepherd.
—Zech.10:2
The word of the LORD came to me: Mortal, what is this proverb of yours about the land of Israel, which says, “The days are prolonged, and every vision comes to nothing”? Tell them therefore, “Thus says the Lord GOD: I will put an end to this proverb, and they shall use it no more as a proverb in Israel.” But say to them, “The days are near, and the fulfillment of every vision.” For there shall no longer be any false vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel.
—Ezk. 12:21-24
Have you not seen a false vision or uttered a lying divination, when you have said, “Says the LORD,” even though I did not speak?
—Ezk. 13:7
When I say, ‘My bed will comfort me,
my couch will ease my complaint,’
then you scare me with dreams
and terrify me with visions,
—Job 7:13-14
For God speaks in one way,
and in two, though people do not perceive it.
In a dream, in a vision of the night,
when deep sleep falls on mortals,
while they slumber on their beds,
then he opens their ears,
and terrifies them with warnings,
—Job 33:14-16 (Elihu speaking)
For dreams come with many cares, and a fool’s voice with many words.
—Eccl.5:3
With many dreams come vanities and a multitude of words; but fear God.
—Eccl. 5:7
for the dreams that disturbed them forewarned them of this,
so that they might not perish without knowing why they suffered.
—Wis. 18:19
The senseless have vain and false hopes,
and dreams give wings to fools.
As one who catches at a shadow and pursues the wind,
so is anyone who believes in dreams.
What is seen in dreams is but a reflection,
the likeness of a face looking at itself.
From an unclean thing what can be clean?
And from something false what can be true?
Divinations and omens and dreams are unreal,
and like a woman in labor, the mind has fantasies.
Unless they are sent by intervention from the Most High,
pay no attention to them.
For dreams have deceived many,
and those who put their hope in them have perished.
—Sir. 8:1-7
He [all humans, especially sinners] gets little or no rest;
he struggles in his sleep as he did by day.[c]
He is troubled by the visions of his mind
like one who has escaped from the battlefield.
—Sir. 40:6
Although you were watching me, I really did not eat or drink anything—but what you saw [Angel Raphael in human form] was a vision.
—Tobit 12:9
He [Maccabeus] armed each of them not so much with confidence in shields and spears as with the inspiration of brave words, and he cheered them all by relating a dream, a sort of vision, which was worthy of belief.
—II Macc. 15:11
When he did come out, he could not speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary.
—Luke 1:22a
As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
—Matt. 17:9
While he [Pilate] was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for today I have suffered a great deal because of a dream about him.”
—Matt. 27:19
and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive.
—Luke 24:23
Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” He answered, “Here I am, Lord.”
—Acts 9:10 [see also 9:12]
One afternoon at about three o’clock he had a vision in which he clearly saw an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius.”
—Acts 10:3 [see also 10:17,19 and 11:5]
During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”
—Acts 16:9
It is necessary to boast; nothing is to be gained by it, but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.
—II Cor. 12:1
Do not let anyone disqualify you, insisting on self-abasement and worship of angels, dwelling on visions, puffed up without cause by a human way of thinking,
—Col. 2:18
Yet in the same way these dreamers also defile the flesh, reject authority, and slander the glorious ones.
—Jude 1:8
Dream as Metaphor
They [the wicked] are like a dream when one awakes;
on awaking you despise their phantoms.
—Psalm 73:20
You sweep them [mortals] away; they are like a dream,
like grass that is renewed in the morning;
in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;
in the evening it fades and withers.
—Psalm 90:5-6
When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dream.
—Psalm 126:1
They [the wicked] will fly away like a dream, and not be found;
they will be chased away like a vision of the night.
—Job 20:8
And the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel, all that fight against her and her stronghold, and who distress her, shall be like a dream, a vision of the night.
Just as when a hungry person dreams of eating and wakes up still hungry, or a thirsty person dreams of drinking and wakes up faint, still thirsty, so shall the multitude of all the nations be that fight against Mount Zion.
—Isa. 29:7-8
