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Joseph tells two people what their dreams mean

40 Some time later, two of the king's officers made him angry. One of them was the king's cupbearer.[a] The other was the king's baker.

Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, both the cupbearer and the baker. Pharaoh put them in the same prison that Joseph was in. That was in the house of the captain of the king's guards. They were in the prison for a long time. The captain of the guards made Joseph their servant, to help them. One night, both of the king's officers had a dream. Each dream had its own meaning.

When Joseph came to them the next morning, he saw that they were upset. So Joseph asked the two officers, ‘What are you sad about?’ They replied, ‘We both had dreams last night, but there is nobody to tell us what they mean.’ Joseph said, ‘Only God can tell you the meaning of dreams. Tell your dreams to me.’

So the king's cupbearer told Joseph his dream. He said, ‘In my dream I saw a vine in front of me. 10 There were three branches on it. New leaves came on the branches, and then flowers came. After that, there were grapes which became ripe. 11 Pharaoh's cup was in my hand. I took the grapes and I squeezed them. Then I put the juice into the cup and I gave the cup to Pharaoh.’

12 Joseph said, ‘This is what your dream means. The three branches tell us about three days. 13 In three days, Pharaoh will lift up your head and he will make you his officer again.[b] You will put Pharaoh's cup into his hand, as you did before. 14 But when these good things happen to you, remember to be kind to me. Tell Pharaoh about me so that I will get out of this prison. 15 Men took hold of me in the land of the Hebrews and they brought me here. Even here, I have not done anything wrong. I should not be in this prison.’

16 The king's baker heard what Joseph had said to the cupbearer. He realized that the meaning of the cupbearer's dream was good. So he said to Joseph, ‘This was my dream: I had three baskets of bread on my head. 17 The top basket contained many different kinds of bread for Pharaoh. But birds were eating them out of the basket on my head.’

18 Joseph said, ‘This is what your dream means. The three baskets tell us about three days. 19 In three days, Pharaoh will lift off your head. He will hang you on a tree. Then birds will eat the meat off your body.’

20 Three days later, it was Pharaoh's birthday. He gave a feast for all his officers. He lifted up the head of the cupbearer and he lifted off the head of the baker! He brought them both out of the prison so that all his officers could see.

21 Pharaoh caused the cupbearer to be his own cupbearer again. As a result, the cupbearer put Pharaoh's cup into his hand again, as he did before. 22 But Pharaoh hanged the baker to kill him.

So it all happened in the way that Joseph said it would happen. 23 But the cupbearer did not think about Joseph at all. He completely forgot about him.

Footnotes

  1. 40:1 The cupbearer had authority in the king's house. He would make sure that the king's wine was safe for the king to drink.
  2. 40:13 ‘lift up your head’ means ‘you will be important again’.

40 When these things were done, it befelled that two geldings, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, sinned to their lord. (After these things were done, it befell that two eunuchs, Pharaoh’s butler and baker, sinned against their lord.)

And Pharaoh was wroth against them, for the one was (the) master butler, and the tother was (the) master baker.

And he sent them into the prison of the prince of knights, in which also Joseph was bound. (And he sent them into the prison of the captain of the guard, where Joseph was also kept.)

And 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, (And the ruler of the prison delivered them unto Joseph, who served them. Some time passed, and they were still held in the prison,)

and both saw a dream in one night, by covenable expounding to them. (when both of them had a dream one night, and they needed their dreams to be interpreted.)

And when Joseph had entered to them early, and had seen them sorry, (And when Joseph came to them in the morning, and saw them looking sorrowful, or sad,)

he asked them, and said, Why is your cheer heavier today than it is wont (to be)? (he asked them, Why are your faces so heavy, or so unhappy, today?)

Which 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. (And they answered, We have each had a dream, and there is no one to interpret it for us. And Joseph said to them, Should not the interpretation come from God? Tell me what ye have seen.)

The master butler told first his dream; I saw before me that a vine, (So the master butler told his dream first, and he said, I saw that there was a vine before me,)

10 in which were three scions, waxed little and little into burgeonings, and that after the flowers (came), the grapes waxed ripe, (which had three branches, that over time had more and more buds, and after the flowers came, the grapes ripened,)

11 and (then) 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 (the) drink to Pharaoh (and I gave it to Pharaoh to drink).

12 Joseph answered, This is the expounding of the dream; three scions be yet three days, (Joseph answered, This is the dream’s interpretation; the three branches be three days yet to come,)

13 after 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. (and then Pharaoh shall remember thy service, and he shall restore thee to thy place, and thou shalt give him the cup, as per thy duties, yea, as thou were wont to do before.)

14 Only 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; (And when it is well with thee, remember me, and do thou mercy to me, so that thou make a suggestion to Pharaoh, that he release me from this prison;)

15 for thiefly, (that is, by thievery), I am taken away from the land of Hebrews, and (once) here I am sent innocent into prison. (for I was stolen away from the land of the Hebrews, and then once here, I was sent into prison, though innocent.)

16 The 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, (The master baker saw that Joseph had prudently interpreted the dream, and he said, And I had a dream, where I had three baskets of meal on my head,)

17 and I guessed that I bare in one basket, that was highest, all (the) (bake)meats that be made (for Pharaoh) by the craft of bakers, and that birds ate thereof. (and I saw that I carried in the first basket, that was on top, all the baked goods that the baker made for Pharaoh, and the birds were eating them.)

18 Joseph answered, This is the expounding of the dream; three baskets be yet three days, (Joseph answered, This is the dream’s interpretation; the three baskets be three days yet to come,)

19 after which Pharaoh shall take away thine head, and he shall hang thee in a cross, and birds shall draw thy flesh. (after which Pharaoh shall take away thy head, and he shall hang thee on a tree, and then the birds shall draw off thy flesh.)

20 From 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, of the master butler, and of the prince of (the) bakers; (And three days later was Pharaoh’s birthday, and he made a great feast for his servants, and during the feast he remembered the master butler, and the master baker;)

21 and he restored the one into his place, (so) that he should direct the cup, either (the) drink, to the king,

22 and he hanged the tother in a gibbet, that the truth of Joseph(’s) declaring (of) the dreams should be proved. (but he hanged the other man on a tree, and so the truth of Joseph’s interpretations of the dreams was shown.)

23 And nevertheless when prosperities befelled to the master butler, he forgat Joseph that declared his dream. (And yet when good things happened to the master butler, he forgot about Joseph, who had interpreted his dream.)