Genesis 40

Joseph Tells the Meaning of the Prisoners' Dreams

1-3While Joseph was in prison, both the king's#40.1-3 the king's: See the note at 12.15. personal servant#40.1-3 personal servant: The Hebrew text has “cup bearer,” an important and trusted official in the royal court, who personally served wine to the king. and his chief cook made the king angry. So he had them thrown into the same prison with Joseph. 4They spent a long time in prison, and the official in charge of the palace guard,#40.4 the palace guard: Possibly Potiphar (see 39.1). made Joseph their servant.

5One night each of the two men had a dream, but their dreams had different meanings. 6The next morning, when Joseph went to see the men, he could tell they were upset, 7and he asked, “Why are you so worried today?”

8“We each had a dream last night,” they answered, “and there is no one to tell us what they mean.”

Joseph replied, “Doesn't God know the meaning of dreams? Now tell me what you dreamed.”

9The king's personal servant told Joseph, “In my dream I saw a vine 10with three branches. As soon as it budded, it blossomed, and its grapes became ripe. 11I held the king's cup and squeezed the grapes into it, then I gave the cup to the king.”

12Joseph said:

This is the meaning of your dream. The three branches stand for three days, 13and in three days the king will pardon you. He will make you his personal servant again, and you will serve him his wine, just as you used to do. 14But when these good things happen, please don't forget to tell the king about me, so I can get out of this place. 15I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and here in Egypt I haven't done anything to deserve being thrown in jail.

16When the chief cook saw that Joseph had given a good meaning to the dream, he told Joseph, “I also had a dream. In it I was carrying three breadbaskets stacked on top of my head. 17The top basket was full of all kinds of baked things for the king, but birds were eating them.”

18Joseph said:

This is the meaning of your dream. The three baskets are three days, 19#3 Macc 6.34. and in three days the king will cut off your head. He will hang your body on a pole, and birds will come and peck at it.

20Three days later, while the king was celebrating his birthday with a dinner for his officials, he sent for his personal servant and the chief cook. 21He put the personal servant back in his old job 22and had the cook put to death.

Everything happened just as Joseph had said it would, 23but the king's personal servant completely forgot about Joseph.

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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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