Berĕshith (Genesis) 40
40
1And after these events it came to be that the cupbearer and the baker of the sovereign of Mitsrayim sinned against their master, the sovereign of Mitsrayim.
2And Pharaoh was wroth with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker.
3So he put them in confinement in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison, the place where Yosĕph was a prisoner.
4And the captain of the guard put Yosĕph in charge of them, and he served them. So they were in confinement for some time.
5Then the cupbearer and the baker of the sovereign of Mitsrayim, who were confined in the prison, dreamed a dream, both of them, each man’s dream in one night and each man’s dream with its own interpretation.
6And Yosĕph came in to them in the morning and looked at them and saw that they were sad.
7And he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in confinement of his master’s house, saying, “Why do you look so sad today?”
8And they said to him, “We each have dreamed a dream, and there is no one to interpret it.” And Yosĕph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to Elohim? Relate them to me, please.”
9So the chief cupbearer related his dream to Yosĕph, and said to him, “See, in my dream a vine was before me,
10and in the vine were three branches, and it was as though it budded – its blossoms shot forth, and its clusters brought forth ripe grapes.
11And Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand. So I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.
12And Yosĕph said to him, “This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days.
13“Yet, within three days Pharaoh is going to lift up your head and restore you to your place, and you shall put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand according to the former ruling, when you were his cupbearer.
14“But remember me when it is well with you, and please show loving-commitment to me. And mention me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house.
15For truly I was stolen away from the land of the Hebrews. And also I have done naught that they should put me into the dungeon.
16And the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, and he said to Yosĕph, “I also was in my dream and saw three white baskets were on my head,
17and in the uppermost basket all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, and the birds ate them out of the basket on my head.”
18And Yosĕph answered and said, “This is the interpretation of it: The three baskets are three days.
19Yet, within three days Pharaoh is going to lift off your head from you and hang you on a tree. And the birds shall eat your flesh from you.
20And on the third day, Pharaoh’s birthday, it came to be that he made a feast for all his servants. And he lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and of the chief baker among his servants,
21and he restored the chief cupbearer to his post of cupbearer again, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand,
22but he hanged the chief baker, as Yosĕph had interpreted to them.
23And the chief cupbearer did not remember Yosĕph, but forgot him.
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Genesis 40
40
Joseph in Prison
1Later the king’s cupbearer #40:1 A cupbearer was a trusted royal official who ensured that the king’s drink was not poisoned. and his baker offended their master, the king of Egypt. 2Pharaoh was angry with his chief cupbearer and his chief baker. 3He put them in the prison of the captain of the guard, the same place where Joseph was a prisoner. 4The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he took care of them.
After they had been confined for some time, 5both prisoners—the cupbearer and the baker for the king of Egypt—had dreams one night. Each man had a dream with its own special meaning.
6When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were upset. 7So he asked these officials of Pharaoh who were with him in his master’s prison, “Why do you look so unhappy today?”
8“We both had dreams,” they answered him, “but there’s no one to tell us what they mean.”
“Isn’t God the only one who can tell what they mean?” Joseph asked them. “Why don’t you tell me all about them.”
9So the chief cupbearer told Joseph his dream. He said “In my dream a grapevine with three branches appeared in front of me. 10Soon after it sprouted it blossomed. Then its clusters ripened into grapes. 11Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, so I took the grapes and squeezed them into it. I put the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.”
12“This is what it means,” Joseph said to him. “The three branches are three days. 13In the next three days Pharaoh will release you and restore you to your position. You will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand as you used to do when you were his cupbearer. 14Remember me when things go well for you, and please do me a favor. Mention me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this prison. 15I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I’ve done nothing to deserve being put in this prison.”
16The chief baker saw that the meaning Joseph had given to the cupbearer’s dream was good. So he said to Joseph, “I had a dream too. In my dream three baskets of white baked goods were on my head. 17The top basket contained all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head.”
18“This is what it means,” Joseph replied. “The three baskets are three days. 19In the next three days Pharaoh will cut off your head and hang your dead body on a pole. The birds will eat the flesh from your bones.”
20Two days later, on his birthday, Pharaoh had a special dinner prepared for all his servants. Of all his servants he gave special attention to the chief cupbearer and the chief baker. 21He restored the chief cupbearer to his position. So the cupbearer put the cup in Pharaoh’s hand. 22But he hung the chief baker just as Joseph had said in his interpretation.
23Nevertheless, the chief cupbearer didn’t remember Joseph. He forgot all about him.
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