Delusions of Grandeur

And so, while it is clear that history acquits Joseph for his delusions of grandeur, at the time his brothers were convinced that (as the Rabbis put it), 'A man is shown in a dream only what is suggested by his own thought.' As far as they were concerned, dreams foretelling of Joseph's ambition, starring the dreamer himself as the axis around whom the universe revolved, were an outgrowth of Joseph's unmitigated arrogance. His brothers seethed with contempt.

But what about Joseph himself? How did he understand his night visions? Initially these dreams seem to be an unconscious defense mechanism in reaction to the brothers' enmity and their envy of his position as favorite son. Later, though, Joseph came to appreciate that, 'The interpretations of dreams belong to God!' (Genesis 40:8). Moreover, as the story unfolded, Joseph realized that he must proactively pursue these dreams - not for personal gain, but in order to actualize the divine plan, which they conveyed.