Dreams of Apologizing to a Friend After Conflict
Dreams are often understood in biblical and ancient traditions as having significant meaning, sometimes even divine origin [10, 12]. The book of Job describes dreams and visions of the night as times "when deep sleep falls on men, in slumbering on the bed" [2]. Similarly, Psalm 73:20 likens the transient nature of the wicked to a dream that vanishes upon waking [1].
In Jewish tradition, dreams can be interpreted as messages, sometimes even as a form of divine communication or punishment. The Babylonian Talmud recounts an instance where Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak experienced "frightful dreams" after disparaging King Saul [3, 4]. He interpreted these dreams as a punishment and felt compelled to apologize to Saul's "bones" to seek forgiveness. The recurrence of the dream after his initial apology suggested to him that his deference was insufficient, prompting a more earnest apology [3, 4]. This narrative illustrates a belief that dreams can convey a need for repentance or reconciliation, and that the emotional impact of a dream can drive real-world actions to amend wrongs.
The Talmud also offers guidance for those who have disturbing dreams and are unsure of their meaning. It suggests that one who has seen a dream and does not know its interpretation should stand before the priests during the Priestly Blessing and declare, "Master of the Universe, I am Yours and my dreams are Yours, I dreamed a dream and I do not know what it is" [5, 7, 9]. This practice reflects a recognition that dreams can be perplexing and that divine intervention might be needed for understanding or resolution.
While some dreams are considered prophetic or divinely inspired, others are seen as less significant. John Gill, in his commentary on 1 Kings, distinguishes between a "natural one, a vain and empty one" and a "divine and supernatural one, a dream of prophecy" [11]. Matthew Henry notes that God has "immediate access to the spirits of men" through dreams, using them to serve His purposes, even for those outside His covenant people [12]. Tertullian, a patristic writer, also discusses the diversity of dreams and visions, noting that some ancient figures like Epicurus dismissed them, while others highly valued their potential meaning [6]. Augustine, another early church father, also mentions dreams in his writings, sometimes in the context of significant personal or spiritual events [8].
Sources
- Psalms “Psalms 73:20 (Darby) — As a dream, when one awaketh, wilt thou, Lord, on arising despise their image.”
- Job “In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, in slumbering on the bed; -- Job 33:15”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Yoma 176a.44:18: Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak strongly objects to this interpretation of the verse, saying: You could just as well say that he was like a one-year-old in that he was always filthy with mud and excrement. Rav Naḥman was shown a frightful dream that night, and he understood it as a punishment for having disparaged Saul. He said: I humbly submit myself to you, O bones of Saul, son of Kish, and beg your forgiveness. But once again he was shown a frightful dream, and he understood that he had not shown enough deference in his first apology. He therefore said this time: ”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Yoma 22b.18: Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak strongly objects to this interpretation of the verse, saying: You could just as well say that he was like a one-year-old in that he was always filthy with mud and excrement. Rav Naḥman was shown a frightful dream that night, and he understood it as a punishment for having disparaged Saul. He said: I humbly submit myself to you, O bones of Saul, son of Kish, and beg your forgiveness. But once again he was shown a frightful dream, and he understood that he had not shown enough deference in his first apology. He therefore said this time: I hu”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Berakhot 55b.11: The Gemara relates: Ameimar and Mar Zutra and Rav Ashi were sitting together. They said: Let each and every one of us say something that the other has not heard. One of them began and said: One who saw a dream and does not know what he saw should stand before the priests when they lift their hands during the Priestly Blessing and say the following: Master of the Universe, I am Yours and my dreams are Yours, I dreamed a dream and I do not know what it is. Whether I have dreamed of myself, whether my friends have dreamed of me or whether I have dreamed of othe”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 3: Tertullian — CHAP. XLVI.--DIVERSITY OF DREAMS AND VISIONS. EPICURUS THOUGHT LIGHTLY OF THEM, THOUGH GENERALLY MOST HIGHLY VALUED. INSTANCES OF DREAMS, (part 2): the question (I suppose because the lion only becomes once a father), when Aristodemus or Aristophon happened to conjecture that nothing of an unmeaning or empty import lay under that seal, but that a son of very illustrious character was portended. They who know anything of Alexander recognise in him the lion of that small ring. Ephorus writes to this effect. Again, Heraclides has told us, that a certain woman of Himera beh”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Berakhot 128b.110:11: The Gemara relates: Ameimar and Mar Zutra and Rav Ashi were sitting together. They said: Let each and every one of us say something that the other has not heard. One of them began and said: One who saw a dream and does not know what he saw should stand before the priests when they lift their hands during the Priestly Blessing and say the following: Master of the Universe, I am Yours and my dreams are Yours, I dreamed a dream and I do not know what it is. Whether I have dreamed of myself, whether my friends have dreamed of me or whether I have dreamed of”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 1: Augustine — Confessions, Letters — LETTER CLVIII. (A.D. 414.) (part 8): of the knowledge which you have received. There is another thing which I have resolved not to omit mentioning, for perhaps it bears upon the matter now under investigation: 10. This same youth, in connection with whom these questions are brought forward, departed tiffs life after having received what may be called a summons2 at the time when he was dying. For one who had been a companion of his as a student, and reader, and shorthand writer to my dictation, who had died eight months before, was seen by a perso”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Berakhot 128a.110:11: The Gemara relates: Ameimar and Mar Zutra and Rav Ashi were sitting together. They said: Let each and every one of us say something that the other has not heard. One of them began and said: One who saw a dream and does not know what he saw should stand before the priests when they lift their hands during the Priestly Blessing and say the following: Master of the Universe, I am Yours and my dreams are Yours, I dreamed a dream and I do not know what it is. Whether I have dreamed of myself, whether my friends have dreamed of me or whether I have dreamed of”
- Genesis (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Genesis 41:57: All countries came into Egypt - to buy - As there had not been a sufficiency of rains, vapours, etc., to swell the Nile, to effect a proper inundation in Egypt, the same cause would produce drought, and consequently scarcity, in all the neighboring countries; and this may be all that is intended in the text. 1. As the providence of God evidently led the butler and baker of Pharaoh, as well as the king himself, to dream the prophetic dreams mentioned in this and the preceding chapter, so his Spirit in Joseph led to the true interpretation of them. What a proof do a”
- 1 Kings (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Kings 3:14: And Solomon awoke, and, behold, it was a dream,.... Not that it was nothing but a dream, a natural one, a vain and empty one, but a divine and supernatural one, a dream of prophecy, as the Jews call it, or a prophetic dream; a true one, which had its fall accomplishment in him, the truth of which he perceived as soon as he awoke; for he found himself possessed of such a measure of wisdom and knowledge he never had before, which occasioned the thanksgiving and joy next expressed: and he came to Jerusalem; from Gibeon, accompanied by his nobles and servants: and st”
- Genesis (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Genesis 40:5: Observe, I. The special providence of God, which filled the heads of these two prisoners with unusual dreams, such as made extraordinary impressions upon them, and carried with them evidences of a divine origin, both in one night. Note, God has immediate access to the spirits of men, which he can make serviceable to his own purposes whenever he pleases, quite beyond the intention of those concerned. To him all hearts are open, and anciently he spoke not only to his own people, but to others, in dreams, Job 33:15. Things to come were thus foretold, but very obscur”