Genesis 40
40
Joseph Interprets Two Prisoners’ Dreams
1Some time after this, the #Neh. 1:11cupbearer of the king of Egypt and his baker committed an offense against their lord the king of Egypt. 2And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, 3#[ch. 39:20]and he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison where Joseph was confined. 4The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be with them, and he attended them. They continued for some time in custody.
5And one night they both dreamed—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison—each his own dream, and each dream with its own interpretation. 6When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were troubled. 7So he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in custody in his master’s house, #[Neh. 2:2]“Why are your faces downcast today?” 8They said to him, #ch. 41:15 “We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them.” And Joseph said to them, #ch. 41:16; Dan. 2:28, 47“Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me.”
9So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph and said to him, “In my dream there was a vine before me, 10and on the vine there were three branches. As soon as it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and the clusters ripened into grapes. 11Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup and placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.” 12Then Joseph said to him, #ver. 18; ch. 41:12; [Dan. 2:36] “This is its interpretation: #[ch. 41:26, 27]the three branches are three days. 13In three days Pharaoh will #2 Kgs. 25:27; Jer. 52:31; [ver. 19, 20, 22; Ps. 3:3]lift up your head and restore you to your office, and you shall place Pharaoh’s cup in his hand as formerly, when you were his cupbearer. 14Only remember me, when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house. 15For #ch. 37:28 I was indeed stolen out of the land of the Hebrews, and #ch. 39:20here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the pit.”
16When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was favorable, he said to Joseph, “I also had a dream: there were three cake baskets on my head, 17and in the uppermost basket there were all sorts of baked food for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating it out of the basket on my head.” 18And Joseph answered and said, #See ver. 12“This is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days. 19#ver. 13 In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head—from you!—and #ver. 22hang you on a tree. And the birds will eat the flesh from you.”
20On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s #Matt. 14:6; Mark 6:21 birthday, he made a feast for all his servants and #ver. 13, 19lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants. 21#ver. 13 He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, and #Neh. 2:1he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand. 22But he #ver. 19hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. 23Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.
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Genesis 40
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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