What is the meaning behind the eleven stars in Joseph's dream?
Genesis 37:9
ESV - 9 Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, "Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.
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Asked May 22 2015
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Malcolm N Kylie Harihari
Supporter
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Singapore Moses
Supporter
The sun, the moon, and eleven stars in Joseph's dream is a symbol of Israel, the sun representing Jospeh, the moon his wives and the eleven stars his eleven sons (cp. 12 stars,Rev 12:1)
Bruce Morgan
Supporter
Joseph's father says exactly what the dream means in Gen 37:10 and refuses to believe it. Young Joseph, having already angered his older brothers by their father's show of favoritism (the famous 'coat of many colors' in Gen 37:3-4) now blurts out his dreams to them. His brothers' sheaves of wheat bow down to his sheaf (Gen 37:5-8) and then even his father Jacob/Israel (sun), his mother (moon), and.all of his brothers (stars) bow down to him! His brothers sell him into slavery (Gen 37:28) - after all, nobody ever bowed down to a slave! Yet by God's great plans Joseph became a great man in Egypt, his brothers DID bow down to him (Gen 42:6), and his entire family was saved from the Great Famine and prospered. See also Psalm 105:16-24 and Acts 7:9-17
Christian Black
Supporter
My opinion is that the dream of Joseph can be interpreted literally, in that Joseph's family did indeed bow down to him when he reigned in Egypt. This dream, however, can be seen also as a prophecy of the coming of Christ, in which the eleven disciples (discounting Judas Iscariot) bow down before Him. And thus, this can also be interpreted as the church itself, the fruit of the disciples' spreading of the gospel. The sun and the moon could mean a number of things. These forms of exegesis can be controversial; however we know the story of Joseph, etc. And in Genesis 50:20 we see Joseph says something very reminiscent of Jesus Christ: "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today."
Jeffrey Johnson
Supporter
What is the meaning behind the eleven stars in Joseph's dream? Genesis 37:9 ESV: "And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it to his brethren, and said, 'Behold, I have dreamed yet a dream: and, behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars made obeisance to me.'" In Joseph's second dream (Genesis 37:9-10), the eleven stars represent his eleven brothers bowing down to him. Together with the sun (representing his father, Jacob) and the moon (representing his mother/stepmother), they symbolise his entire family and acknowledge his future rise to authority and leadership in Egypt. Symbolism of Brothers: The eleven stars directly correspond to the eleven brothers who would eventually, during a famine, seek aid from Joseph, who was then second-in-command in Egypt. Prophetic Fulfilment: The dream was a prophetic vision from God foretelling Joseph's rise to power and the eventual reconciliation with his family. Family Dynamics: While the dream signalled future honour, telling it to his brothers increased their jealousy and hatred, as they instantly understood it to mean he would rule over them. Contextual Differences: In the first dream, the brothers are represented as sheaves of wheat, while the second dream uses celestial imagery (sun, moon, stars) to depict a more universal, elevated bowing, including his parents. The dream even indicated that not only his brothers but also his father and mother (apparently not Rachel, as she was already dead, but perhaps the household or Jacob's principal living wife) would bow down to him. Regarding this dream, Joseph was rebuked by his father, and his brothers' jealousy intensified. These dreams came from Jehovah God. They were prophetic, and God meant for Joseph to pass along the message they contained. In a sense, Joseph was to do what all the later prophets did when they related God's messages and judgments to His wayward people. Read 43:28 last line, "And they bowed the head, and made obeisance." Here we see the fulfilment of Joseph's dream.
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