Genesis
Summary
Genesis 40 follows Joseph into prison, where he encounters two high-ranking officials of Pharaoh—the cupbearer and the baker. Both men have disturbing dreams which Joseph, crediting God with the ability to interpret, correctly explains: the cupbearer will be restored to his position, while the baker will be executed. Despite the fulfillment of his prediction and Joseph's poignant plea for the cupbearer to remember him to Pharaoh, he is forgotten for two more years. This chapter highlights Joseph’s persistent faith and spiritual giftedness in the midst of prolonged isolation and neglect.
After these things, the cupbearer of the king of Egypt and his baker offended their lord, the king of Egypt.
Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker.
He put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound.
The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he took care of them. They stayed in prison for many days.
Both of them had a dream, each man his own dream in one night, each according to the interpretation of his dream—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were bound in the prison.
When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were dejected.
He asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in custody in his master’s house, "Why do you look so sad today?"
They said to him, "We have both had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them." Joseph said to them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me."
So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph, saying, "In my dream, behold, a vine was before me,
and on the vine were three branches. As it budded, its blossoms came out, and its clusters produced ripe grapes.
Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand; so I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand."
Joseph said to him, "This is its interpretation: the three branches are three days.
Within three days, Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office. You will give Pharaoh’s cup into his hand, just as you used to do when you were his cupbearer.
But remember me when it is well with you, and please show kindness to me; make mention of me to Pharaoh and bring me out of this house.
For indeed, I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon."
When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said to Joseph, "I also had a dream, and behold, three baskets of white bread were on my head.
In the uppermost basket there were all kinds of baked food for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head."
Joseph answered, "This is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days.
Within three days, Pharaoh will lift up your head from off you and will hang you on a tree; and the birds will eat your flesh from you."
On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he made 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.
He restored the chief cupbearer to his position again, and he gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand;
but he hanged the chief baker, just as Joseph had interpreted to them.
Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.