The dream of Pharaoh’s Chief Cupbearer: A response to Philo of Alexandria

Abstract

Genesis 40 tells of the Joseph’s interpretation of the dream of Pharaoh’s chief cupbearer. The scope of this article offers a novel argument against Philo of Alexandria for his negative hermeneutics of the chief cupbearer’s dream and allegorical implications, as he replaces linguistic terms in the Hebrew and/or Greek text, “cupbearer” with “eunuch”. The allegorical method which might account for similarities of dream interpretations between Philo and the Freudian and Jungian school is discussed.