1Some time later the king of Egypt's wine steward and his chief baker offended the king. 2He was angry with these two officials 3and put them in prison in the house of the captain of the guard, in the same place where Joseph was being kept. 4They spent a long time in prison, and the captain assigned Joseph as their servant.

5One night there in prison the wine steward and the chief baker each had a dream, and the dreams had different meanings. 6When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were upset. 7He asked them, “Why do you look so worried today?”

8They answered, “Each of us had a dream, and there is no one here to explain what the dreams mean.”

“It is God who gives the ability to interpret dreams,” Joseph said. “Tell me your dreams.”

9So the wine steward said, “In my dream there was a grapevine in front of me 10with three branches on it. As soon as the leaves came out, the blossoms appeared, and the grapes ripened. 11I was holding the king's cup; so I took the grapes and squeezed them into the cup and gave it to him.”

12Joseph said, “This is what it means: the three branches are three days. 13In three days the king will release you, pardon you, and restore you to your position. You will give him his cup as you did before when you were his wine steward. 14But please remember me when everything is going well for you, and please be kind enough to mention me to the king and help me get out of this prison. 15After all, I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and even here in Egypt I didn't do anything to deserve being put in prison.”

16When the chief baker saw that the interpretation of the wine steward's dream was favorable, he said to Joseph, “I had a dream too; I was carrying three breadbaskets on my head. 17In the top basket there were all kinds of baked goods for the king, and the birds were eating them.”

18Joseph answered, “This is what it means: the three baskets are three days. 19In three days the king will release you—and have your head cut off! Then he will hang your body on a pole, and the birds will eat your flesh.”

20On his birthday three days later the king gave a banquet for all his officials; he released his wine steward and his chief baker and brought them before his officials. 21He restored the wine steward to his former position, 22but he executed the chief baker. It all happened just as Joseph had said. 23But the wine steward never gave Joseph another thought—he forgot all about him.

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Genesis 40

Joseph Interprets Dreams in Prison

1And it happened that after these things the cupbearer of the king of Egypt and his baker did wrong against their lord, against the king of Egypt. 2And Pharaoh was angry with his two officials, with the chief cupbearer and chief baker. 3And he put them in custody in the house of the chief of the guard, into the prison where Joseph was confined. 4And the chief of the guard appointed Joseph to be with them, and he attended them. And they were in custody many days.#Literally “days” 5And the two of them, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, dreamed a dream, each his own dream, with its own interpretation. 6When Joseph came to them in the morning he looked at them, and behold, they were troubled. 7And he asked the court officials of Pharaoh that were with him in the custody of his master’s house, “Why are your faces sad today?” 8And they said to him, “We each dreamed a dream, but there is no one to interpret it.” And Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me.” 9Then the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph, and he said to him, “In my dream, now behold, there was a vine before me, 10and on the vine were three branches. And as it budded, its blossoms came up, and its clusters of grapes grew ripe. 11And the cup of Pharaoh was in my hand, and I took the grapes and squeezed them into the cup of Pharaoh. Then I placed the cup into the hand of Pharaoh.” 12Then Joseph said to him, “This is its interpretation: The three branches, they are three days. 13In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and will restore you to your office. And you shall put the cup of Pharaoh into his hand as was formerly the custom, when you were his cupbearer. 14But remember me when it goes well with you, and please may you show kindness with respect to me, and mention me to Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house. 15For I was surely kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing that they should put me in this pit.” 16And when the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good he said to Joseph, “I also dreamed. In my dream, now behold, there were three baskets of bread upon my head. 17And in the upper basket were all sorts of baked foods for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them out of the basket upon my head.” 18Then Joseph answered and said, “This is its interpretation: The three baskets, they are three days. 19In three days Pharaoh will lift your head from you and hang you on a pole,#Or “tree” and the birds will eat your flesh from you.” 20And it happened that on the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he made a feast for all his servants. And he lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker in the midst of his servants. 21And he restored the chief cupbearer to his cupbearing position. And he placed the cup in the hand of Pharaoh. 22But the chief baker he hanged as Joseph had interpreted to them. 23But the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.

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Good News Translation (US Version)

Genesis 40

Genesis 40