Genesis 40

CHAPTER 40

1When these things were done, it befelled that two geldings, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, sinned to their lord.

2And Pharaoh was wroth against them, for the one was master butler, and the tother was master baker.

3And he sent them into the prison of the prince of knights, in which also Joseph was bound.

4And the keeper of the prison betook them to Joseph, which also served, or kept, them. Somewhat of time passed, and they were holden in keeping,

5and both saw a dream in one night, by covenable expounding to them.

6And when Joseph had entered to them early, and had seen them sorry,

7he asked them, and said, Why is your cheer heavier today than it is wont to be?

8Which answered, We each saw a dream, and there is no man that expoundeth it to us. And Joseph said to them, Whether the expounding is not of God? Tell ye to me what ye have seen.

9The master butler told first his dream; I saw before me that a vine,

10in which were three scions, waxed little and little into burgeonings, and that after the flowers, the grapes waxed ripe,

11and the cup of Pharaoh was in mine hand; therefore I took the grapes, and pressed them out into the cup that I held, and I gave drink to Pharaoh.

12Joseph answered, This is the expounding of the dream; three scions be yet three days,

13after which Pharaoh shall have mind of thy service, and he shall restore thee into the first degree, and thou shalt give to him the cup, by thine office, as thou were wont to do before.

14Only have thou mind of me, when it is well to thee, and thou shalt do mercy with me, that thou make suggestion to Pharaoh, that he lead me out of this prison;

15for thiefly, that is, by thievery, I am taken away from the land of Hebrews, and here I am sent innocent into prison.

16The master baker saw that Joseph had declared prudently the dream, and he said, And I saw a dream, that I had three baskets of meal on mine head,

17and I guessed that I bare in one basket, that was highest, all meats or baked foods that be made for Pharaoh by the craft of bakers, and that birds ate thereof.

18Joseph answered, This is the expounding of the dream; three baskets be yet three days,

19after which Pharaoh shall take away thine head, and he shall hang thee in a cross, and birds shall draw thy flesh.

20From thence the third day was the day of the birth of Pharaoh, which made a great feast to his servants, and he had mind among the meats or during the meal, of the master butler, and of the prince of bakers;

21and he restored the one into his place, that he should dress the cup, either drink, to the king,

22and he hanged the tother in a gibbet, that the truth of Joseph declaring the dreams should be proved.

23And nevertheless when prosperities befelled to the master butler, he forgat Joseph that declared his dream.

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Genesis 40

Joseph Interprets Two Prisoners’ Dreams

1After this, the king of Egypt’s cupbearer#Neh 1:11 and baker offended their master, the king of Egypt. 2Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, 3and put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guards#Gn 39:20 in the prison where Joseph was confined. 4The captain of the guards assigned Joseph to them as their personal attendant, and they were in custody for some time.#40:4 Lit custody days

5The king of Egypt’s cupbearer and baker, who were confined in the prison, each had a dream. Both 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 looked distraught. 7So he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were in custody with him in his master’s house, “Why do you look so sad today?” #Neh 2:2

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

Then Joseph said to them, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams.”#Dn 2:11,20–24

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

12“This is its interpretation,”#Gn 41:12; Dn 2:36 Joseph said to him. “The three branches are three days. 13In just three days Pharaoh will lift up your head#Gn 40:19–22 and restore you to your position. You will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand the way you used to when you were his cupbearer. 14But when all goes well for you, remember that I was with you. Please show kindness to me by mentioning me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this prison. 15For I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews,#Gn 37:28 and even here I have done nothing that they should put me in the dungeon.”#40:15 Or pit, or cistern#Gn 39:20

16When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was positive, he said to Joseph, “I also had a dream. Three baskets of white bread were 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.”

18“This is its interpretation,” Joseph replied. “The three baskets are three days. 19In just three days Pharaoh will lift up your head — from off you — and hang you on a tree.#40:19 Or and impale you on a pole Then the birds will eat the flesh from your body.”#40:19 Lit eat your flesh from upon you

20On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he gave a feast for all his servants. He elevated#40:20 Lit He lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker among his servants.#2Kg 25:27; Jr 52:31; Mt 14:6 21Pharaoh restored the chief cupbearer to his position as cupbearer, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand. 22But Pharaoh hanged#40:22 Or impaled the chief baker, just as Joseph had explained to them. 23Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.#Ec 9:15–16

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