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

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