Joseph Interprets Dreams

40 Then it came about after these things, that (A)the cupbearer and the baker for the king of Egypt offended their lord, the king of Egypt. And Pharaoh was (B)furious with his two officials, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker. So he put them in confinement in the house of the (C)captain of the bodyguard, in the prison, the same place where Joseph was imprisoned. And the captain of the bodyguard put Joseph in charge of them, and he [a]took care of them; and they were in confinement for [b]some time. Then 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. [c]When Joseph came to them in the morning and saw them, [d]behold, they were dejected. So he asked Pharaoh’s officials who were with him in confinement in his master’s house, “[e](D)Why are your faces so sad today?” And they said to him, “(E)We have [f]had a dream, and there is no one to interpret it.” Then Joseph said to them, “(F)Do interpretations not belong to God? Tell it to me, please.”

So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph, [g]saying to him, “In my dream, [h]behold, there was a vine in front of me; 10 and on the vine were three branches. And as it was budding, its blossoms came out, and its clusters produced ripe grapes. 11 Now 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 [i]hand.” 12 Then Joseph said to him, “This is the (G)interpretation of it: the three branches are three days; 13 within three more days Pharaoh will [j]lift 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. 14 Only [k]keep me in mind when it goes well for you, and please (H)do me a kindness [l]by mentioning me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this [m]prison. 15 For (I)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 [n]dungeon.”

16 When 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; 17 and in the top basket there were some of all [o]kinds of baked food for Pharaoh, and the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head.” 18 Then Joseph answered and said, “This is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days; 19 within 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.”

20 So it came about on the third day, which was (J)Pharaoh’s birthday, that he held a feast for all his servants; (K)and he lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants. 21 He restored the chief cupbearer to his [p]office, and (L)he put the cup into Pharaoh’s [q]hand; 22 but (M)he hanged the chief baker, just as Joseph had interpreted to them. 23 Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but (N)forgot him.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 40:4 Lit ministered to
  2. Genesis 40:4 Lit days
  3. Genesis 40:6 Or And
  4. Genesis 40:6 Lit and behold
  5. Genesis 40:7 Lit saying, Why
  6. Genesis 40:8 Lit dreamed
  7. Genesis 40:9 Lit and said
  8. Genesis 40:9 Lit and behold
  9. Genesis 40:11 Lit palm
  10. Genesis 40:13 I.e., a royal gesture of forgiveness
  11. Genesis 40:14 Lit remember me with yourself
  12. Genesis 40:14 Lit and mention
  13. Genesis 40:14 Lit house
  14. Genesis 40:15 Or pit
  15. Genesis 40:17 Lit food for Pharaoh made by a baker
  16. Genesis 40:21 Lit wine-pouring
  17. Genesis 40:21 Lit palm

The Cupbearer and the Baker

40 Some time later, the cupbearer(A) and the baker(B) of the king of Egypt offended their master, the king of Egypt. Pharaoh was angry(C) with his two officials,(D) the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, and put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard,(E) in the same prison where Joseph was confined. The captain of the guard(F) assigned them to Joseph,(G) and he attended them.

After they had been in custody(H) for some time, each of the two men—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were being held in prison—had a dream(I) the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own.(J)

When Joseph came to them the next morning, he saw that they were dejected. So he asked Pharaoh’s officials who were in custody(K) with him in his master’s house, “Why do you look so sad today?”(L)

“We both had dreams,” they answered, “but there is no one to interpret them.”(M)

Then Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God?(N) Tell me your dreams.”

So the chief cupbearer(O) told Joseph his dream. He said to him, “In my dream I saw a vine in front of me, 10 and on the vine were three branches. As soon as it budded, it blossomed,(P) and its clusters ripened into grapes. 11 Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes, squeezed them into Pharaoh’s cup and put the cup in his hand.”

12 “This is what it means,(Q)” Joseph said to him. “The three branches are three days.(R) 13 Within three days(S) Pharaoh will lift up your head(T) and restore you to your position, and you will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you used to do when you were his cupbearer.(U) 14 But when all goes well with you, remember me(V) and show me kindness;(W) mention me to Pharaoh(X) and get me out of this prison. 15 I was forcibly carried off from the land of the Hebrews,(Y) and even here I have done nothing to deserve being put in a dungeon.”(Z)

16 When the chief baker(AA) saw that Joseph had given a favorable interpretation,(AB) he said to Joseph, “I too had a dream: On my head were three baskets(AC) of bread.[a] 17 In the top basket were 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 said. “The three baskets are three days.(AD) 19 Within three days(AE) Pharaoh will lift off your head(AF) and impale your body on a pole.(AG) And the birds will eat away your flesh.”(AH)

20 Now the third day(AI) was Pharaoh’s birthday,(AJ) and he gave a feast for all his officials.(AK) He lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker(AL) in the presence of his officials: 21 He restored the chief cupbearer(AM) to his position,(AN) so that he once again put the cup into Pharaoh’s hand(AO) 22 but he impaled the chief baker,(AP) just as Joseph had said to them in his interpretation.(AQ)

23 The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.(AR)

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 40:16 Or three wicker baskets