Joseph's Dream

The words

1. Bidden

   Joseph rises from sleep and does as the angel had bidden him, taking Mary as his wife; Matthew then records the child’s naming.

   Matthew 1:24–25 (opens a new tab)

2. Dream

   While Joseph considers putting Mary away privately, an angel of the Lord appears in a dream and tells him not to fear taking her as his wife.

   Did you know?

   Matthew later records another dream message to Joseph: an angel tells him to take the young child and his mother from Egypt to Israel.

   Matthew 1:19–20 (opens a new tab) · Matthew 2:19–20 (opens a new tab)

3. Emmanuel

   In Matthew’s quotation from the prophet, the child is to be called Emmanuel; Matthew immediately supplies the name’s meaning for his readers.

   Did you know?

   Isaiah 8:8 uses the spelling Immanuel. Two verses later comes “God is with us,” words close to the meaning Matthew gives for Emmanuel.

   Matthew 1:22–23 (opens a new tab) · Isaiah 8:8; Isaiah 8:10 (opens a new tab)

4. Example

   Matthew says Joseph does not want to make Mary “a public example,” and sets that concern beside his intention to put her away privately.

   Matthew 1:19 (opens a new tab)

5. Fulfilled

   Matthew presents the birth as fulfilling words spoken through a prophet, then gives the quotation about a child and the name Emmanuel.

   Matthew 1:22–23 (opens a new tab)

6. God with Us

   Matthew explains Emmanuel as “God with us.” He gives that meaning after the prophetic quotation, before returning to Joseph waking and taking his wife.

   Matthew 1:23–24 (opens a new tab)

7. Holy Ghost

   Holy Spirit, in the NET’s wording.

   Matthew describes Mary’s pregnancy as being of the Holy Ghost; in Joseph’s dream, the angel repeats that the child conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

   Matthew 1:18; Matthew 1:20 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Matthew 1:18-21 (opens a new tab)

8. Husband

   Espoused is rendered engaged in the NET.

   Matthew first describes Mary as espoused to Joseph, then calls him her husband while telling of his plan to put her away privately.

   Matthew 1:18–19 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Matthew 1:18-21 (opens a new tab)

9. Interpreted

   The words “which being interpreted is” introduce Matthew’s explanation of Emmanuel: “God with us,” so the name and its meaning appear together.

   Matthew 1:23 (opens a new tab)

10. Joseph

    The angel tells Joseph to name the child Jesus; Matthew later says Joseph takes his wife and gives the child that name.

    Matthew 1:21 (opens a new tab) · Matthew 1:24–25 (opens a new tab)

11. Just Man

    A righteous man, in the NET’s wording.

    Matthew calls Joseph a just man while describing his unwillingness to expose Mary publicly and his intention to put her away privately.

    Matthew 1:19 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Matthew 1:18-21 (opens a new tab)

12. Minded

    Joseph is minded to put Mary away privately, before the angel appears; the NET describes his intention as divorcing her privately.

    Matthew 1:19–20 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Matthew 1:18-21 (opens a new tab)

13. Sleep

    Matthew moves from the angel’s appearance in a dream to Joseph rising from sleep, doing as instructed and taking Mary as his wife.

    Matthew 1:20 (opens a new tab) · Matthew 1:24 (opens a new tab)

14. Son of David

    The angel addresses Joseph as “thou son of David” before telling him not to fear taking Mary as his wife.

    Did you know?

    Matthew’s opening verse calls Jesus “the son of David.” In the dream, the angel addresses Joseph with the words “thou son of David.”

    Matthew 1:20 (opens a new tab) · Matthew 1:1 (opens a new tab)

15. Wife

    The angel tells Joseph not to fear taking Mary as his wife; after waking, Joseph does so and later names the child Jesus.

    Matthew 1:20–21 (opens a new tab) · Matthew 1:24–25 (opens a new tab)