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.

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Genesis 40

1After this, it came to pass, that two eunuchs, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, offended their lord.

2And Pharao being angry with them (now the one was chief butler and the other chief baker),

3He sent them to the prison of the commander of the soldiers, in which Joseph also was prisoner,

4But the keeper of the prison delivered them to Joseph, and he served them. Some little time passed, and they were kept in custody.

5And they both dreamed a dream the same night, according to the interpretation agreeing to themselves.

6And when Joseph was come in to them in the morning, and saw them sad,

7He asked them, saying: Why is your countenance sadder today than usual?

8They answered: We have dreamed a dream, and there is nobody to interpret it to us. And Joseph said to them: Doth not interpretation belong to God? Tell me what you have dreamed.

9The chief butler first told his dream: I saw before me a vine,

10On which were three branches, which by little and little sent out buds, and after the blossoms brought forth ripe grapes.

11And the cup of Pharao was in my hand: and I took the grapes, and pressed them into the cup which I held, and I gave the cup to Pharao.

12Joseph answered: This is the interpretation of the dream: The three branches are yet three days:

13After which Pharao will remember thy service, and will restore thee to thy former place. And thou shalt present him the cup according to thy office, as before thou wast wont to do.

14Only remember me, when it shall be well with thee: and do me this kindness: to put Pharao in mind to take me out of this prison.

15For I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews, and here without any fault was cast into the dungeon.

16The chief baker seeing that he had wisely interpreted the dream, said: I also dreamed a dream, that I had three baskets of meal upon my head;

17And that in one basket which was uppermost, I carried all meats that are made by the art of baking, and that the birds ate out of it.

18Joseph answered: This is the interpretation of the dream. The three baskets are yet three days:

19After which Pharao will take thy head from thee, and hang thee on a cross; and the birds shall tear thy flesh.

20The third day after this was the birthday of Pharao: and he made a great feast for his servants, and at the banquet remembered the chief butler, and the chief baker.

21And he restored the one to his place to present him the cup:

22The other he hanged on a gibbet, that the truth of the interpreter might be shewn.

23But the chief butler, when things prospered with him, forgot his interpreter.

An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.

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Genesis 40

Genesis 40