3698. And he dreamed. That this signifies foresight, is evident from the signification of "dreaming," as being in the internal sense to foretell future things; for prophetic dreams, which were Divine, were predictions of things to come, as is evident from those related in the Word (see n. 1975, 1976). Such being, in the internal sense, the signification of "dreams" and of "to dream," therefore in the supreme sense, in which the Lord is treated of, they signify foresight; for predictions are from the Lord's Divine foresight. That this is the only source of predictions concerning events which do not flow according to the common order of nature, and cannot thence be foreseen, may be seen from the Word, as from these words in Moses:
When a prophet speaketh in the name of Jehovah, but the word doth not come to pass, and that word doth not happen, Jehovah hath not spoken; the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously (Deut. 18:22);
and this although predictions of things which come to pass might be from the wicked and worshipers of another god, as is evident from this passage:
If there arise in the midst of thee a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and he give thee a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder come to pass whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or unto that dreamer of dreams; for Jehovah your God trieth you (Deut. 13:1-3);
from which it is evident that the prediction itself was from the Divine, but the persuasion to worship other gods was from what belonged to the prophet, to whom this was permitted for the sake of trying them, as is said. From this also it is, and from other causes, that very often in olden time they who worshiped the Baals and other gods also prophesied, saw visions, and dreamed dreams, and likewise that the things which were spoken by them came to pass, whereby many were seduced; concerning whom we read in Jeremiah 23; besides others who were called "diviners," "soothsayers," "jugglers," and "pythons," who were among those who studied natural magic, whereby nothing of what was Divine could be foretold, but only what was contrary to the Divine, that is, contrary to the Lord, and contrary to the good of love and the truth of faith in Him. This is magic, of whatsoever quality it may appear in external form.
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