Genesis 40
Good News Translation
Joseph Interprets the Prisoners' Dreams
40 Some time later the king of Egypt's wine steward and his chief baker offended the king. 2 He was angry with these two officials 3 and put them in prison in the house of the captain of the guard, in the same place where Joseph was being kept. 4 They spent a long time in prison, and the captain assigned Joseph as their servant.
5 One night there in prison the wine steward and the chief baker each had a dream, and the dreams had different meanings. 6 When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were upset. 7 He asked them, “Why do you look so worried today?”
8 They answered, “Each of us had a dream, and there is no one here to explain what the dreams mean.”
“It is God who gives the ability to interpret dreams,” Joseph said. “Tell me your dreams.”
9 So the wine steward said, “In my dream there was a grapevine in front of me 10 with three branches on it. As soon as the leaves came out, the blossoms appeared, and the grapes ripened. 11 I was holding the king's cup; so I took the grapes and squeezed them into the cup and gave it to him.”
12 Joseph said, “This is what it means: the three branches are three days. 13 In three days the king will release you, pardon you, and restore you to your position. You will give him his cup as you did before when you were his wine steward. 14 But please remember me when everything is going well for you, and please be kind enough to mention me to the king and help me get out of this prison. 15 After all, I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and even here in Egypt I didn't do anything to deserve being put in prison.”
16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation of the wine steward's dream was favorable, he said to Joseph, “I had a dream too; I was carrying three breadbaskets on my head. 17 In the top basket there were all kinds of baked goods for the king, and the birds were eating them.”
18 Joseph answered, “This is what it means: the three baskets are three days. 19 In three days the king will release you—and have your head cut off! Then he will hang your body on a pole, and the birds will eat your flesh.”
20 On his birthday three days later the king gave a banquet for all his officials; he released his wine steward and his chief baker and brought them before his officials. 21 He restored the wine steward to his former position, 22 but he executed the chief baker. It all happened just as Joseph had said. 23 But the wine steward never gave Joseph another thought—he forgot all about him.
Genesis 40
English Standard Version
Joseph Interprets Two Prisoners' Dreams
40 Some time after this, the (A)cupbearer of the king of Egypt and his baker committed an offense against their lord the king of Egypt. 2 And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, 3 (B)and he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison where Joseph was confined. 4 The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be with them, and he attended them. They continued for some time in custody.
5 And 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. 6 When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were troubled. 7 So he asked Pharaoh's officers who were with him in custody in his master's house, (C)“Why are your faces downcast today?” 8 They said to him, (D)“We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them.” And Joseph said to them, (E)“Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me.”
9 So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph and said to him, “In my dream there was a vine before me, 10 and on the vine there were three branches. As soon as it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and the clusters ripened into grapes. 11 Pharaoh'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.” 12 Then Joseph said to him, (F)“This is its interpretation: (G)the three branches are three days. 13 In three days Pharaoh will (H)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. 14 Only 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. 15 For (I)I was indeed stolen out of the land of the Hebrews, and (J)here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the pit.”
16 When 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, 17 and 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.” 18 And Joseph answered and said, (K)“This is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days. 19 (L)In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head—from you!—and (M)hang you on a tree. And the birds will eat the flesh from you.”
20 On the third day, which was Pharaoh's (N)birthday, he made a feast for all his servants and (O)lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants. 21 (P)He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, and (Q)he placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand. 22 But he (R)hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. 23 Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.
Genesis 40
GOD’S WORD Translation
Joseph in Prison
40 Later the king’s cupbearer [a] and his baker offended their master, the king of Egypt. 2 Pharaoh was angry with his chief cupbearer and his chief baker. 3 He put them in the prison of the captain of the guard, the same place where Joseph was a prisoner. 4 The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he took care of them.
After they had been confined for some time, 5 both prisoners—the cupbearer and the baker for the king of Egypt—had dreams one night. Each man had a dream with its own special meaning.
6 When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were upset. 7 So he asked these officials of Pharaoh who were with him in his master’s prison, “Why do you look so unhappy today?”
8 “We both had dreams,” they answered him, “but there’s no one to tell us what they mean.”
“Isn’t God the only one who can tell what they mean?” Joseph asked them. “Why don’t you tell me all about them.”
9 So the chief cupbearer told Joseph his dream. He said “In my dream a grapevine with three branches appeared in front of me. 10 Soon after it sprouted it blossomed. Then its clusters ripened into grapes. 11 Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, so I took the grapes and squeezed them into it. I put the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.”
12 “This is what it means,” Joseph said to him. “The three branches are three days. 13 In the next three days Pharaoh will release you and restore you to your position. You will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand as you used to do when you were his cupbearer. 14 Remember me when things go well for you, and please do me a favor. Mention me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this prison. 15 I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I’ve done nothing to deserve being put in this prison.”
16 The chief baker saw that the meaning Joseph had given to the cupbearer’s dream was good. So he said to Joseph, “I had a dream too. In my dream three baskets of white baked goods were on my head. 17 The top basket contained 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 replied. “The three baskets are three days. 19 In the next three days Pharaoh will cut off your head and hang your dead body on a pole. The birds will eat the flesh from your bones.”
20 Two days later, on his birthday, Pharaoh had a special dinner prepared for all his servants. Of all his servants he gave special attention to the chief cupbearer and the chief baker. 21 He restored the chief cupbearer to his position. So the cupbearer put the cup in Pharaoh’s hand. 22 But he hung the chief baker just as Joseph had said in his interpretation.
23 Nevertheless, the chief cupbearer didn’t remember Joseph. He forgot all about him.
Footnotes
- 40:1 A cupbearer was a trusted royal official who ensured that the king’s drink was not poisoned.
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