1Some time later, the king’s cupbearer and baker offended their master, the king of Egypt. 2Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, 3and imprisoned them in the house of the captain of the guard, the same prison where Joseph was confined. 4The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he became their personal attendant.

After they had been in custody for some time, 5both of these men—the Egyptian king’s cupbearer and baker, who were being held in the prison—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 were distraught. 7So he asked the officials of Pharaoh who were in custody with him in his master’s house, “Why are your faces so downcast today?”

8“We both had dreams,” they replied, “but there is no one to interpret them.”

Then Joseph said to them, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams.”

9So the chief cupbearer told Joseph his dream: “In my dream there was a vine before me, 10and on the vine were three branches. As it budded, its blossoms opened and its clusters ripened into grapes. 11Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes, squeezed them into his cup, and placed the cup in his hand.”

12Joseph replied, “This is the interpretation: The three branches are three days. 13Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore your position. You will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you did when you were his cupbearer. 14But when it goes well for you, please remember me and show me kindness by mentioning me to Pharaoh, that he might bring me out of this prison. 15For I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing for which they should have put me in this dungeon.”

16When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was favorable, he said to Joseph, “I too had a dream: There were three baskets of white bread 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.”

18Joseph replied, “This is the interpretation: The three baskets are three days. 19Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head and hang you on a tree.#40:19 Or and impale you on a pole; similarly in verse 22 Then the birds will eat the flesh of your body.”

20On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he held a feast for all his officials, and in their presence he lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker. 21Pharaoh restored the chief cupbearer to his position, so that he once again placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand. 22But Pharaoh hanged the chief baker, just as Joseph had described to them in his interpretation.#40:22 Literally had interpreted to them

23The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot all about him.

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Genesis 40

1 NOW SOME time later the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt offended their lord, Egypt's king.

2 And Pharaoh was angry with his officers, the chief of the butlers and the chief of the bakers.

3 He put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison where Joseph was confined.

4 And the captain of the guard put them in Joseph's charge, and he served them; and they continued in custody for some time.

5 And they both dreamed a dream in the same night, each man according to [the personal significance of] the interpretation of his dream–the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison.

6 When Joseph came to them in the morning and looked at them, he saw that they were sad and depressed.

7 So he asked Pharaoh's officers who were in custody with him in his master's house, Why do you look so dejected and sad today?

8 And they said to him, We have dreamed dreams, and there is no one to interpret them. And Joseph said to them, Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me [your dreams], I pray you.

9 And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph and said to him, In my dream I saw a vine before me,

10 And on the vine were three branches. Then it was as though it budded; its blossoms burst forth and the clusters of them brought forth ripe grapes [almost all at once].

11 And Pharaoh's cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup; then I gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand.

12 And Joseph said to him, This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days.

13 Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your position, and you will again put Pharaoh's cup into his hand, as when you were his butler.

14 But think of me when it shall be well with you and show kindness, I beg of you, to me, and mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this house.

15 For truly I was carried away from the land of the Hebrews by unlawful force, and here too I have done nothing for which they should put me into the dungeon.

16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said to Joseph, I also dreamed, and behold, I had three cake baskets on my head.

17 And in the uppermost basket were some of all kinds of baked food for Pharaoh, but the birds [of prey] were eating out of the basket on my head.

18 And Joseph answered, This is the interpretation of it: The three baskets are three days.

19 Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head but will have you beheaded and hung on a tree, and [you will not so much as be given burial, but] the birds will eat your flesh.

20 And on the third day, Pharaoh's birthday, he made a feast for all his servants; and he lifted up the heads of the chief butler and the chief baker [by inviting them also] among his servants.

21 And he restored the chief butler to his butlership, and the butler gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand;

22 But [Pharaoh] hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them.

23 But [even after all that] the chief butler gave no thought to Joseph, but forgot [all about] him.

1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation

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Genesis 40

Genesis 40