Genesis 40
40
Joseph Interprets Two Prisoners’ Dreams
1After this, the king of Egypt’s cupbearer#Neh 1:11 and baker offended their master, the king of Egypt. 2Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, 3and put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guards#Gn 39:20 in the prison where Joseph was confined. 4The captain of the guards assigned Joseph to them as their personal attendant, and they were in custody for some time.#40:4 Lit custody days
5The king of Egypt’s cupbearer and baker, who were confined in the prison, each had a dream. Both had a dream on the same night, and each dream had its own meaning. 6When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they looked distraught. 7So he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were in custody with him in his master’s house, “Why do you look so sad today?” #Neh 2:2
8“We had dreams,” they said to him, “but there is no one to interpret them.”
Then Joseph said to them, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams.”#Dn 2:11,20–24
9So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph: “In my dream there was a vine in front of me. 10On the vine were three branches. As soon as it budded, its blossoms came out and its clusters ripened into grapes. 11Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes, squeezed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.”
12“This is its interpretation,”#Gn 41:12; Dn 2:36 Joseph said to him. “The three branches are three days. 13In just three days Pharaoh will lift up your head#Gn 40:19–22 and restore you to your position. You will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand the way you used to when you were his cupbearer. 14But when all goes well for you, remember that I was with you. Please show kindness to me by mentioning me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this prison. 15For I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews,#Gn 37:28 and even here I have done nothing that they should put me in the dungeon.”#40:15 Or pit, or cistern#Gn 39:20
16When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was positive, he said to Joseph, “I also had a dream. Three baskets of white bread were on my head. 17In the top basket were all sorts of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head.”
18“This is its interpretation,” Joseph replied. “The three baskets are three days. 19In just three days Pharaoh will lift up your head — from off you — and hang you on a tree.#40:19 Or and impale you on a pole Then the birds will eat the flesh from your body.”#40:19 Lit eat your flesh from upon you
20On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he gave a feast for all his servants. He elevated#40:20 Lit He lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker among his servants.#2Kg 25:27; Jr 52:31; Mt 14:6 21Pharaoh restored the chief cupbearer to his position as cupbearer, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand. 22But Pharaoh hanged#40:22 Or impaled the chief baker, just as Joseph had explained to them. 23Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.#Ec 9:15–16
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Genesis 40: CSB
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© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
B'resheet (Gen) 40
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)
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