Visions
We are speaking of a special kind of dream or vision that God causes to come into the human mind when it suits His purposes to do so (Joel 2:28). Dreams are experiences that come into the sleeping mind of the recipient, and have a real or symbolic meaning which God wishes to convey. Such a dream usually can be retained in the memory long enough to allow it to be written down or recited. A vision experience usually occurs when the recipient is awake and alert. The scriptures are full of these experiences. And their types are summarized by Daniel (Dan. 1:17). It was in such a dream that God piqued the interest of Pharaoh, and young Joseph, (the son of Jacob, who had been sold into slavery in Egypt by his jealous brothers) was then sought out to properly interpret what Pharaoh's dream meant. Its' successful interpretation catapulted Joseph into the position of Pharaoh's personal counselor (Gen. 41:14-41).
As a result, Joseph was later in a political position to offer food and hospitality to his famine-stricken brothers and their families, thus saving the Israelites from starvation. It was a vision (I.V.) or dream (K.J.V.) which warned Joseph, the father of Jesus, to take the child quickly to Egypt to escape the extermination order for all young children issued by Herod the Great (Matt. 3:1-15, or Matt. 2:1-15 K.J.V.). As a result, Jesus was spared and grew, so he could later carry out his vital ministry for mankind.