Genesis 40

The Prisoners’ Dreams

1It came to pass after these things that the #Gen. 40:11, 13; Neh. 1:11butler and the baker of the king of Egypt offended their lord, the king of Egypt. 2And Pharaoh was #Prov. 16:14angry with his two officers, the chief butler and the chief baker. 3#Gen. 39:1, 20, 23; 41:10So he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison, the place where Joseph was confined. 4And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them; so they were in custody for a while.

5Then the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, #Gen. 37:5; 41:1had a dream, both of them, each man’s dream in one night and each man’s dream with its own interpretation. 6And Joseph came in to them in the morning and looked at them, and saw that they were sad. 7So he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in the custody of his lord’s house, saying, #Neh. 2:2“Why do you look so sad today?”

8And they said to him, #Gen. 41:15“We each have had a dream, and there is no interpreter of it.”

So Joseph said to them, #(Gen. 41:16; Dan. 2:11, 20–22, 27, 28, 47)“Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me, please.”

9Then the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, “Behold, in my dream a vine was before me, 10and in the vine were three branches; it was as though it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and its clusters brought forth ripe grapes. 11Then Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand; and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.”

12And Joseph said to him, #Gen. 40:18; 41:12, 25; Judg. 7:14; Dan. 2:36; 4:18, 19“This is the interpretation of it: The three branches #Gen. 40:18; 42:17are three days. 13Now within three days Pharaoh will #2 Kin. 25:27; Ps. 3:3; Jer. 52:31lift up your head and restore you to your place, and you will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand according to the former manner, when you were his butler. 14But #1 Sam. 25:31; Luke 23:42remember me when it is well with you, and #Gen. 24:49; 47:29; Josh. 2:12; 1 Sam. 20:14, 15; 2 Sam. 9:1; 1 Kin. 2:7please show kindness to me; make mention of me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house. 15For indeed I was #Gen. 37:26–28stolen away from the land of the Hebrews; #Gen. 39:20and also I have done nothing here that they should put me into the dungeon.”

16When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said to Joseph, “I also was in my dream, and there were three white baskets on my head. 17In the uppermost basket were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, and the birds ate them out of the basket on my head.”

18So Joseph answered and said, #Gen. 40:12“This is the interpretation of it: The three baskets are three days. 19#Gen. 40:13Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head from you and #Deut. 21:22hang you on a tree; and the birds will eat your flesh from you.”

20Now it came to pass on the third day, which was Pharaoh’s #Matt. 14:6–10birthday, that he #Mark 6:21made a feast for all his servants; and he #Gen. 40:13, 19; 2 Kin. 25:27; Jer. 52:31; Matt. 25:19lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants. 21Then he #Gen. 40:13restored the chief butler to his butlership again, and #Neh. 2:1he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand. 22But he #Gen. 40:19; Deut. 21:23; Esth. 7:10hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. 23Yet the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but #Job 19:14; Ps. 31:12; Eccl. 9:15, 16; Is. 49:15; Amos 6:6forgot him.

Genesis 40

Joseph Interprets a Dream

1Now some time later, the cupbearer (butler) and the baker for the king of Egypt offended their lord, Egypt’s king. 2Pharaoh (#Also called Senusret II, 1894-1878 b.c.Sesostris II) was extremely angry with his two officials, the chief of the cupbearers and the chief of the bakers. 3He put them in confinement in the house of the captain of the guard, in the same prison where Joseph was confined. 4The captain of the guard put Joseph in charge of them, and he served them; and they continued to be in custody for some time. 5Then the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, both dreamed a dream in the same night, each man with his [own significant] dream and each dream with its [personal] interpretation. 6When Joseph came to them in the morning and looked at them, [he saw that] they were sad and depressed. 7So he asked Pharaoh’s officials who were in confinement with him in his master’s house, “Why do you look so down-hearted today?” 8And they said to him, “We have [each] dreamed [distinct] dreams and there is no one to interpret them.” So Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell me [your dreams].”

9So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, “In my dream there was a grapevine in front of me; 10and on the vine were three branches. Then as soon as it budded, its blossoms burst open, and its clusters produced ripe grapes [in rapid succession]. 11Now Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes and squeezed them into Pharaoh’s cup; then I placed the cup into Pharaoh’s hand.” 12Then Joseph said to him, “This is the interpretation of it: the three branches represent three days; 13within three more days Pharaoh will lift up your head (present you in public) and restore you to your position; and you will [again] put Pharaoh’s cup into his hand just as [you did] when you were his cupbearer. 14Only think of me when it goes well with you, and please show me kindness by mentioning me to Pharaoh and get me out of this house. 15For in fact I was #The word here is much less personal than “kidnap.” Joseph was considered a “thing”—not a person.taken (stolen) from the land of the Hebrews by [unlawful] force, and even here I have done nothing for which they should put me in the dungeon.”

16When the chief baker saw that the interpretation [of the dream] was good, he said to Joseph, “I also dreamed, and [in my dream] there were three cake baskets on my head; 17and in the top basket there were some of all sorts of baked food for Pharaoh, but the birds [of prey] were eating [these foods] out of the basket on my head.” 18Joseph answered, “This is the interpretation of it: the three baskets represent three days; 19within three more days Pharaoh will #Notice the totally different usage of the words “lift up your head.” In v 13, it is used idiomatically as “present you in public,” but in v 19, it is used literally, “lift your head up off of your body.”lift up your head and will hang you on a tree (gallows, pole), and [you will not so much as be given a burial, but] the birds will eat your flesh.”

20Now on the third day, [which was] the Pharaoh’s birthday, he [released the two men from prison and] made a feast for all his servants; and he lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker [that is, presented them in public] among his servants. 21He restored the chief cupbearer to his office, and the cupbearer [once again] put the cup into Pharaoh’s hand; 22but Pharaoh hanged the chief baker, just as Joseph had interpreted [the meaning of the dreams] to them. 23Yet [even after all that] the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot [all about] him.

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Genesis 40

Genesis 40