Daniel 2:1

Nebuchadnezzar Has a Disturbing Dream

2:1 In the second year of his ¹  reign Nebuchadnezzar had many dreams. ²  His mind ³  was disturbed and he suffered from insomnia. ⁴ 

Genesis 40:8

40:8 They told him, “We both had dreams, ⁵  but there is no one to interpret them.” Joseph responded, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell them ⁶  to me.”

Genesis 41:15

41:15 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, ⁷  and there is no one who can interpret ⁸  it. But I have heard about you, that ⁹  you can interpret dreams.” ¹⁰ 

[2:1]  ¹ tn Heb “Nebuchadnezzar’s.” The possessive pronoun is substituted in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[2:1]  ² tn Heb “dreamed dreams.” The plural is used here and in v. 2, but the singular in v. 3. The plural “dreams” has been variously explained. Some interpreters take the plural as denoting an indefinite singular (so GKC 400 §124.o). But it may be that it is describing a stream of related dreams, or a dream state. In the latter case, one might translate: “Nebuchadnezzar was in a trance.” See further, J. A. Montgomery, Daniel (ICC), 142.

[2:1]  ³ tn Heb “his spirit.”

[2:1]  ⁴ tn Heb “his sleep left (?) him.” The use of the verb הָיָה (hayah, “to be”) here is unusual. The context suggests a meaning such as “to be finished” or “gone.” Cf. Dan 8:27. Some scholars emend the verb to read נָדְדָה (nadÿdah, “fled”); cf. Dan 6:19. See further, DCH 2:540 s.v. היה I Ni.3; HALOT 244 s.v. היה nif; BDB 227-28 s.v. הָיָה Niph.2.

[40:8]  ⁵ tn Heb “a dream we dreamed.”

[40:8]  ⁶ tn The word “them” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:15]  ⁷ tn Heb “dreamed a dream.”

[41:15]  ⁸ tn Heb “there is no one interpreting.”

[41:15]  ⁹ tn Heb “saying.”

[41:15]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “you hear a dream to interpret it,” which may mean, “you only have to hear a dream to be able to interpret it.”