Genesis 40

Joseph Interprets Dreams

1Then it came about after these things, that the cupbearer and the baker for the king of Egypt offended their lord, the king of Egypt. 2And Pharaoh was furious with his two officials, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker. 3So he put them in confinement in the house of the captain of the bodyguard, in the prison, the same place where Joseph was imprisoned. 4And the captain of the bodyguard put Joseph in charge of them, and he #40:4 Lit ministered totook care of them; and they were in confinement for #40:4 Lit dayssome time. 5Then the cupbearer and the baker for the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, both had a dream the same night, each man with his own dream and each dream with its own interpretation. 6#40:6 Or AndWhen Joseph came to them in the morning and saw them, #40:6 Lit and beholdbehold, they were dejected. 7So he asked Pharaoh’s officials who were with him in confinement in his master’s house, “#40:7 Lit saying, WhyWhy are your faces so sad today?” 8And they said to him, “We have #40:8 Lit dreamedhad a dream, and there is no one to interpret it.” Then Joseph said to them, “Do interpretations not belong to God? Tell it to me, please.”

9So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph, #40:9 Lit and saidsaying to him, “In my dream, #40:9 Lit and beholdbehold, there was a vine in front of me; 10and on the vine were three branches. And as it was budding, its blossoms came out, and its clusters produced ripe grapes. 11Now Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand; so I took the grapes and squeezed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and I put the cup into Pharaoh’s #40:11 Lit palmhand.” 12Then Joseph said to him, “This is the interpretation of it: the three branches are three days; 13within three more days Pharaoh will #40:13 I.e., a royal gesture of forgivenesslift up your head and restore you to your office; and you will put Pharaoh’s cup into his hand as in your former practice when you were his cupbearer. 14Only #40:14 Lit remember me with yourselfkeep me in mind when it goes well for you, and please do me a kindness #40:14 Lit and mentionby mentioning me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this #40:14 Lit houseprison. 15For I was in fact kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing that they should have put me into the #40:15 Or pitdungeon.”

16When the chief baker saw that he had interpreted favorably, he said to Joseph, “I also saw in my dream, and behold, there were three baskets of white bread on my head; 17and in the top basket there were some of all #40:17 Lit food for Pharaoh made by a bakerkinds of baked food for Pharaoh, and the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head.” 18Then Joseph answered and said, “This is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days; 19within three more days Pharaoh will lift up your head from you and will hang you on a wooden post, and the birds will eat your flesh off you.”

20So it came about on the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he held a feast for all his servants; and he lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants. 21He restored the chief cupbearer to his #40:21 Lit wine-pouringoffice, and he put the cup into Pharaoh’s #40:21 Lit palmhand; 22but he hanged the chief baker, just as Joseph had interpreted to them. 23Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.

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Genesis 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.

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