Genesis 40
40
Joseph Interprets Two Dreams
1After these things happened, two of the king’s officers displeased the king. These officers were the man who served wine to the king and the king’s baker. 2The king became angry with his officer who served him wine and his baker. 3So he put them in the prison of the captain of the guard. This was the same prison where Joseph was kept. 4The captain of the guard put the two prisoners in Joseph’s care. They stayed in prison for some time.
5One night both the king’s officer who served him wine and the baker had a dream. Each had his own dream with its own meaning. 6When Joseph came to them the next morning, he saw they were worried. 7Joseph asked the king’s officers who were with him, “Why do you look so unhappy today?”
8The two men answered, “We both had dreams last night. But no one can explain the meaning of them to us.”
Joseph said to them, “God is the only One who can explain the meaning of dreams. So tell me your dreams.”
9So the man who served wine to the king told Joseph his dream. He said, “I dreamed I saw a vine. 10On the vine there were three branches. I watched the branches bud and blossom, and then the grapes ripened. 11I was holding the king’s cup. So I took the grapes and squeezed the juice into the cup. Then I gave it to the king.”
12Then Joseph said, “I will explain the dream to you. The three branches stand for three days. 13Before the end of three days the king will free you. He will allow you to return to your work. You will serve the king his wine just as you did before. 14But when you are free, remember me. Be kind to me. Tell the king about me so that I can get out of this prison. 15I was taken by force from the land of the Hebrews. And I have done nothing here to deserve being put in prison.”
16The baker saw that Joseph’s explanation of the dream was good. So he said to Joseph, “I also had a dream. I dreamed there were three bread baskets on my head. 17In the top basket there were all kinds of baked food for the king. But the birds were eating this food out of the basket on my head.”
18Joseph answered, “I will tell you what the dream means. The three baskets stand for three days. 19Before the end of three days, the king will cut off your head! He will hang your body on a pole. And the birds will eat your flesh.”
20Three days later it was the king’s birthday. So he gave a feast for all his officers. In front of his officers, he let the chief officer who served his wine and the chief baker out of prison. 21The king gave his chief officer who served wine his old position. Once again he put the king’s cup of wine into the king’s hand. 22But the king hanged the baker on a pole. Everything happened just as Joseph had said it would. 23But the officer who served wine did not remember Joseph. He forgot all about him.
Copyright © 2015 by Tommy Nelson™, a Division of Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Genesis 40
40
1And it came to pass after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker offended their lord the king of Egypt. 2And Pharaoh was wroth against his two officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers. 3And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound. 4And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he ministered unto them: and they continued a season in ward. 5And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream, in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were bound in the prison. 6And Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and saw them, and, behold, they were sad. 7And he asked Pharaoh’s officers that were with him in ward in his master’s house, saying, Wherefore look ye so sad to-day? 8And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell it me, I pray you.
9And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, In my dream, behold, a vine was before me; 10and in the vine were three branches: and it was as though it budded, and its blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes: 11and Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand; and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand. 12And Joseph said unto him, This is the interpretation of it: the three branches are three days; 13within yet three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head, and restore thee unto thine office: and thou shalt give Pharaoh’s cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his butler. 14But have me in thy remembrance when it shall be well with thee, and show kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house: 15for indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews: and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.
16When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said unto Joseph, I also was in my dream, and, behold, three baskets of white bread were on my head: 17and in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of baked food for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head. 18And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation thereof: the three baskets are three days; 19within yet three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree; and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee. 20And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and the head of the chief baker among his servants. 21And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand: 22but he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them. 23Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him.