Genesis 40
40
Joseph Explains Two Dreams
1Later, two of Pharaoh’s servants did something wrong to Pharaoh. These servants were the baker and the man who served wine to Pharaoh. 2Pharaoh became angry with his baker and wine server, 3so he put them in the same prison as Joseph. Potiphar, the commander of Pharaoh’s guards, was in charge of this prison. 4The commander put the two prisoners under Joseph’s care. The two men continued to stay in prison for some time. 5One night both of the prisoners had a dream. The baker and the wine server each had his own dream, and each dream had its own meaning. 6Joseph went to them the next morning and saw that the two men were worried. 7He asked them, “Why do you look so worried today?”
8The two men answered, “We both had dreams last night, but we don’t understand what we dreamed. There is no one to explain the dreams to us.”
Joseph said to them, “God is the only one who can understand and explain dreams. So I beg you, tell me your dreams.”
The Wine Server’s Dream
9So the wine server told Joseph his dream. The server said, “I dreamed I saw a vine. 10On the vine there were three branches. I watched the branches grow flowers and then become grapes. 11I was holding Pharaoh’s cup, so I took the grapes and squeezed the juice into the cup. Then I gave the cup to Pharaoh.”
12Then Joseph said, “I will explain the dream to you. The three branches mean three days. 13Before the end of three days, Pharaoh will forgive you and allow you to go back to your work. You will do the same work for Pharaoh as you did before. 14But when you are free, remember me. Be good to me and help me. Tell Pharaoh about me so that I can get out of this prison. 15I was kidnapped and taken from the land of my people, the Hebrews. I have done nothing wrong! I should not be in prison.”
The Baker’s Dream
16The baker saw that the other servant’s dream was good, so he said to Joseph, “I also had a dream. I dreamed there were three baskets of bread on my head. 17In the top basket there were all kinds of baked food for the king, but birds were eating this food.”
18Joseph answered, “I will tell you what the dream means. The three baskets mean three days. 19Before the end of three days, the king will take you out of this prison and cut off your head! He will hang your body on a pole, and the birds will eat it.”
Joseph Is Forgotten
20Three days later it was Pharaoh’s birthday. He gave a party for all his servants. At the party Pharaoh allowed the wine server and the baker to leave the prison. 21He freed the wine server and gave him his job back, and once again the wine server put a cup of wine in Pharaoh’s hand. 22But Pharaoh hanged the baker, and everything happened the way Joseph said it would. 23But the wine server did not remember to help Joseph. He said nothing about him to Pharaoh. The wine server forgot about Joseph.
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
Genesis 40
40
Chapter 40
Joseph tells two people what their dreams mean
1Some time later, two of the king's officers made him angry. One of them was the king's cupbearer. #40:1 The cupbearer had authority in the king's house. He would make sure that the king's wine was safe for the king to drink. The other was the king's baker.
2 Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, both the cupbearer and the baker. 3Pharaoh put them in the same prison that Joseph was in. That was in the house of the captain of the king's guards. 4They were in the prison for a long time. The captain of the guards made Joseph their servant, to help them. 5One night, both of the king's officers had a dream. Each dream had its own meaning.
6When Joseph came to them the next morning, he saw that they were upset. 7So Joseph asked the two officers, ‘What are you sad about?’ 8They replied, ‘We both had dreams last night, but there is nobody to tell us what they mean.’ Joseph said, ‘Only God can tell you the meaning of dreams. Tell your dreams to me.’
9So the king's cupbearer told Joseph his dream. He said, ‘In my dream I saw a vine in front of me. 10There were three branches on it. New leaves came on the branches, and then flowers came. After that, there were grapes which became ripe. 11Pharaoh's cup was in my hand. I took the grapes and I squeezed them. Then I put the juice into the cup and I gave the cup to Pharaoh.’
12Joseph said, ‘This is what your dream means. The three branches tell us about three days. 13In three days, Pharaoh will lift up your head and he will make you his officer again. #40:13 ‘lift up your head’ means ‘you will be important again’. You will put Pharaoh's cup into his hand, as you did before. 14But when these good things happen to you, remember to be kind to me. Tell Pharaoh about me so that I will get out of this prison. 15Men took hold of me in the land of the Hebrews and they brought me here. Even here, I have not done anything wrong. I should not be in this prison.’
16The king's baker heard what Joseph had said to the cupbearer. He realized that the meaning of the cupbearer's dream was good. So he said to Joseph, ‘This was my dream: I had three baskets of bread on my head. 17The top basket contained many different kinds of bread for Pharaoh. But birds were eating them out of the basket on my head.’
18Joseph said, ‘This is what your dream means. The three baskets tell us about three days. 19In three days, Pharaoh will lift off your head. He will hang you on a tree. Then birds will eat the meat off your body.’
20Three days later, it was Pharaoh's birthday. He gave a feast for all his officers. He lifted up the head of the cupbearer and he lifted off the head of the baker! He brought them both out of the prison so that all his officers could see.
21Pharaoh caused the cupbearer to be his own cupbearer again. As a result, the cupbearer put Pharaoh's cup into his hand again, as he did before. 22But Pharaoh hanged the baker to kill him.
So it all happened in the way that Joseph said it would happen. 23But the cupbearer did not think about Joseph at all. He completely forgot about him.
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