H6622 H6622
To interpret dreams or visions; used exclusively in the Joseph narrative (Genesis 40-41).
This verb appears only in Genesis 40-41, where Joseph interprets the dreams of Pharaoh's cupbearer, baker, and Pharaoh himself. It is functionally equivalent to the Aramaic peshar ('to dissolve, solve'), suggesting the semantic metaphor of 'unraveling' a dream's hidden meaning. The Spanish 'interpretó' and German 'deutete' both capture the declarative act of making known what a dream signifies. Joseph's repeated insistence that interpretations belong to God (Gen 40:8) gives this word a theological weight beyond mere skill.
Senses
1. to interpret (dreams/visions) — To interpret dreams or visions, declaring their hidden meaning. Cognate with Aramaic peshar ('to dissolve, interpret'), suggesting the image of unraveling something obscure. Every occurrence sits within the Joseph cycle: the cupbearer's and baker's dreams (Gen 40:8, 16, 22) and Pharaoh's dreams (Gen 41:8, 12, 13, 15). Multilingual evidence is strikingly uniform -- Spanish 'interpretó/intérprete,' French 'interpréta,' German 'deutete/Deuter' -- confirming a single, stable semantic range with no metaphorical extension in the Hebrew Bible. 9×
AR["فَسَّرَ", "فَسَّرَ-", "كَمَا", "لِ-تُفَسِّرَ", "مُفَسِّرٌ", "وَ-فَسَّرَ-", "وَ-مُفَسِّرٌ"]·ben["আর-ব্যাখ্যা-করল-", "আর-ব্যাখ্যাকারী", "ব্যাখ্যা-করতে", "ব্যাখ্যা-করল", "ব্যাখ্যা-করল-", "ব্যাখ্যা-করেছিল", "ব্যাখ্যাকারী"]·DE["deutete-er", "ein-Deuter", "er-gedeutet-hatte", "gedeutet-hatte", "um-zu-deuten", "und-ein-Deuter", "und-er-deutete"]·EN["and-an-interpreter", "and-he-interpreted-", "and-interpreter", "he-interpreted", "he-interpreted-", "interpreted", "interpreting", "to-interpret"]·FR["et-il-interpréta-", "et-interprète", "et-un-interprète", "il-interpréta", "il-interpréta-", "interpréta", "interprétant", "à-interpréter"]·heb["ו-יפתר", "ו-פתר", "ל-פתר", "פותר", "פתר"]·HI["और-व्याख्या-करनेवाला", "और-व्याख्या-की", "व्याख्या-करने-के-लिए", "व्याख्या-करनेवाला", "व्याख्या-की", "व्याख्या-की-थी"]·ID["dan-ia-menafsirkan", "dan-penafsir", "ia-menafsirkan", "menafsirkan", "untuk-menafsirkan", "yang-menafsirkan"]·IT["a-interpret", "e-egli-interpreted-", "e-interpreter", "e-un-interpreter", "egli-interpreted", "egli-interpreted-", "interpreted", "interpreting"]·jav["kangge-negesi", "lan-juru-teges", "lan-negesi", "lan-tiyang-ingkang-negesi", "negesi", "nerangaken", "tiyang-ingkang-negesi"]·KO["그리고-해석하는-자가", "그리고-해석하는자가", "그리고-해석했다", "에-해석하기", "해석하는자가", "해석하였다", "해석하였다고", "해석한대로", "해석했다"]·PT["e-interpretador", "e-interpretou", "e-intérprete", "interpretador", "interpretou", "para-interpretar"]·RU["а-толкователя", "и-истолковал-", "и-толкователя", "истолковал", "истолковал-", "толкующего", "чтобы-истолковать"]·ES["e-interpretó", "e-intérprete", "interpretó", "intérprete", "para-interpretar"]·SW["alifasiri", "alitoa", "alivyotufasilia", "kuifasiri", "mfasiri", "na-akatufasilia", "na-mfasiri", "na-mtafsiKaJa", "tafsiri"]·TR["ve-yorumladı-", "ve-yorumlayan", "yorumladı", "yorumladı-", "yorumlamak-için", "yorumlamıştı", "yorumlayan"]·urd["اور-تعبیر-کرنے-والا", "اور-تعبیر-کی", "تعبیر-کرنے-والا", "تعبیر-کرنے-کو", "تعبیر-کی", "تعبیر-کی-تھی"]
Related Senses
H0559 1. say, speak, tell (5297×)G3004 1. say, tell, speak (2226×)H1696 1. speak, say, tell (Piel) (1105×)H7121 1. call, summon, name (575×)H6680 1. command, order, charge (483×)H6030b 1. answer, respond, reply (289×)G2980 1. speak, talk (277×)H5046 1. Hifil: to tell, report (237×)G0611 1. answer or respond verbally (232×)H1288 1. Piel: bless, invoke blessing (227×)H7650 1. swear, take an oath (Niphal) (154×)H3789 1. Qal passive participle: written, recorded (112×)H1984b 1. praise, laud (Piel) (111×)H7592 1. ask, inquire, question (96×)H3034 1. give thanks, praise (Hifil) (94×)G1321 1. teach, instruct actively (92×)H3789 2. Qal active: write, compose (89×)G1125 1. to write, compose (a letter or document) (84×)H5046 2. Hifil: to declare, proclaim (79×)H7892a 1. song, musical composition (78×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† פָּתַר vb. interpret (dream), only Gn 40, 41 (NH id., J.Aram. פְּתַר; appar. =Aramaic פְּשַׁר, ܦܫܰܪ, dissolve, fig. solve, interpret, cf. פֵּשֶׁר);— Qal Pf. 3 ms. פָּתַר, c. ל pers. Gn 40:22; 41:13; abs. פָּתָ֑ר 40:16; 41:12; c. acc. rei: Impf. 3 ms. וַיִּפְתָּר־לָנוּ 41:12; Inf. cstr. לִפְתֹּר 41:15; Pt. act. פֹּתֵר 40:8; 41:15, פּוֹי 41:8.