1Some time later, Pharaoh’s chief cup-bearer and chief baker offended their royal master. 2Pharaoh became angry with these two officials, 3and he put them in the prison where Joseph was, in the palace of the captain of the guard. 4They remained in prison for quite some time, and the captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, who looked after them.

5While they were in prison, Pharaoh’s cup-bearer and baker each had a dream one night, and each dream had its own meaning. 6When Joseph saw them the next morning, he noticed that they both looked upset. 7“Why do you look so worried today?” he asked them.

8And they replied, “We both had dreams last night, but no one can tell us what they mean.”

“Interpreting dreams is God’s business,” Joseph replied. “Go ahead and tell me your dreams.”

9So the chief cup-bearer told Joseph his dream first. “In my dream,” he said, “I saw a grapevine in front of me. 10The vine had three branches that began to bud and blossom, and soon it produced clusters of ripe grapes. 11I was holding Pharaoh’s wine cup in my hand, so I took a cluster of grapes and squeezed the juice into the cup. Then I placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.”

12“This is what the dream means,” Joseph said. “The three branches represent three days. 13Within three days Pharaoh will lift you up and restore you to your position as his chief cup-bearer. 14And please remember me and do me a favor when things go well for you. Mention me to Pharaoh, so he might let me out of this place. 15For I was kidnapped from my homeland, the land of the Hebrews, and now I’m here in prison, but I did nothing to deserve it.”

16When the chief baker saw that Joseph had given the first dream such a positive interpretation, he said to Joseph, “I had a dream, too. In my dream there were three baskets of white pastries stacked on my head. 17The top basket contained all kinds of pastries for Pharaoh, but the birds came and ate them from the basket on my head.”

18“This is what the dream means,” Joseph told him. “The three baskets also represent three days. 19Three days from now Pharaoh will lift you up and impale your body on a pole. Then birds will come and peck away at your flesh.”

20Pharaoh’s birthday came three days later, and he prepared a banquet for all his officials and staff. He summoned#40:20 Hebrew He lifted up the head of. his chief cup-bearer and chief baker to join the other officials. 21He then restored the chief cup-bearer to his former position, so he could again hand Pharaoh his cup. 22But Pharaoh impaled the chief baker, just as Joseph had predicted when he interpreted his dream. 23Pharaoh’s chief cup-bearer, however, forgot all about Joseph, never giving him another thought.

NLT brought to you by Tyndale House Publishers Inc.

For more information about the NLT:

Learn More

B'resheet (Gen) 40

1(vii) Some time later it came about that the Egyptian king’s cupbearer and baker gave offense to their lord the king of Egypt. 2Pharaoh became angry with his two officers the chief cupbearer and the chief baker. 3So he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison, in the same place where Yosef was kept. 4The captain of the guard charged Yosef to be with them, and he became their attendant while they remained in prison.

5One night the two of them, the king of Egypt’s cupbearer and his baker, there in prison, both had dreams, each dream with its own meaning. 6Yosef came in to them in the morning and saw that they looked sad. 7He asked Pharaoh’s officers there with him in the prison of his master’s house, “Why are you looking so sad today?” 8They said to him, “We each had a dream, and there’s no one around who can interpret it.” Yosef said to them, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell it to me, please.”

9Then the chief cupbearer told Yosef his dream: “In my dream, there in front of me was a vine, 10and the vine had three branches. The branches budded, then it suddenly began to blossom, and finally clusters of ripe grapes appeared. 11Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, so I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and gave the cup to Pharaoh.” 12Yosef said to him, “Here is its interpretation: the three branches are three days. 13Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office: you will be giving Pharaoh his cup as you used to when you were his cupbearer. 14But remember me when it goes well with you; and show me kindness, please; and mention me to Pharaoh, so that he will release me from this prison. 15For the truth is that I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and here too I have done nothing wrong that would justify putting me in this dungeon.”

16When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was favorable, he said to Yosef, “I too saw in my dream: there were three baskets of white bread on my head. 17In the uppermost basket there were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds ate them out of the basket on my head.” 18Yosef answered, “Here is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days. 19Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head from off of you — he will hang you on a tree, and the birds will eat your flesh off you.”

(Maftir) 20On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he gave a party for all his officials, and he lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his officials. 21He restored the chief cupbearer back to his position, so that he again gave Pharaoh his cup. 22But he hanged the chief baker, as Yosef had interpreted to them. 23Nevertheless, the chief cupbearer didn’t remember Yosef, but forgot him.

Haftarah Vayeshev: ‘Amos (Amos) 2:6–3:8

B’rit Hadashah suggested reading for Parashah Vayeshev: Acts 7:9–16 (specifically vv. 9–10)

CJB brought to you by Messianic Jewish Publishers and Resources
For more information and to purchase a hard copy of the Complete Jewish Bible,

Learn More

Choose your language

NLT Holy Sanctuary Audio Bible

Genesis 40

B'resheet (Gen) 40