Genesis 40
New Life Version
Joseph Tells about Two Dreams
40 Some time later, the man who carried the king’s cup and the man who made the king’s bread did wrong against the king of Egypt. 2 Pharaoh was angry with these two important men, the head cup-carrier and the head bread-maker. 3 So he put them in prison under the care of the head of the soldiers, the same place where Joseph was in prison. 4 The head of the soldiers had Joseph watch over them. He took care of them, and they were in prison for a long time. 5 One night both the cup-carrier and the bread-maker of the king of Egypt had a dream while they were in prison. Each man had his own dream, and each dream had its own meaning. 6 When Joseph came in and looked at them in the morning, he saw that they were sad. 7 So he asked these men who had worked for Pharaoh and who were with him in prison in his boss’s house, “Why are your faces so sad today?” 8 They said to him, “We have had a dream and there is no one to tell us what it means.” Then Joseph said to them, “Do not the meanings of dreams belong to God? Tell them to me.”
9 So the head cup-carrier told his dream to Joseph. He said, “In my dream, there was a vine in front of me. 10 And there were three branches on the vine. Then its flowers grew out. From the many flowers came grapes ready to eat. 11 Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand. So I took the grapes and made wine from them and poured it into Pharaoh’s cup. And I put the cup into Pharaoh’s hand.”
12 Then Joseph said to him, “This is the meaning of it: The three branches are three days. 13 Before three days are over, Pharaoh will give you honor and return you to your place of work. You will put Pharaoh’s cup into his hand just like you did before when you were his cup-carrier. 14 But remember me when it is well with you, and show me kindness. Say a good word about me to Pharaoh. Get me out of this prison. 15 For I was stolen from the land of the Hebrews. And here also I have done nothing for which they should put me in prison.”
16 The head bread-maker saw that the meaning of the dream was good. He said to Joseph, “I had a dream also. There were three baskets of white bread on my head. 17 All kinds of food for Pharaoh were in the top basket. But the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head.”
18 Then Joseph answered, “This is the meaning of it: The three baskets are three days. 19 Within three days, Pharaoh will lift up your head from you and put your body up on a tree. And the birds will eat the flesh from you.”
20 On the third day, Pharaoh’s birthday, he made a special supper for his servants. He gave honor to the head cup-carrier and the head bread-maker among his servants. 21 He returned the head cup-carrier to his place of work and he put the cup into Pharaoh’s hand. 22 But he killed the head bread-maker on a tree, just like Joseph had told them it would happen. 23 Yet the head cup-carrier did not remember Joseph. He forgot him.
Genesis 40
New King James Version
The Prisoners’ Dreams
40 It came to pass after these things that the (A)butler and the baker of the king of Egypt offended their lord, the king of Egypt. 2 And Pharaoh was (B)angry with his two officers, the chief butler and the chief baker. 3 (C)So he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison, the place where Joseph was confined. 4 And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them; so they were in custody for a while.
5 Then the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, (D)had a dream, both of them, each man’s dream in one night and each man’s dream with its own interpretation. 6 And Joseph came in to them in the morning and looked at them, and saw that they were [a]sad. 7 So he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in the custody of his lord’s house, saying, (E)“Why do you look so sad today?”
8 And they said to him, (F)“We each have had a dream, and there is no interpreter of it.”
So Joseph said to them, (G)“Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me, please.”
9 Then the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, “Behold, in my dream a vine was before me, 10 and in the vine were three branches; it was as though it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and its clusters brought forth ripe grapes. 11 Then 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 And Joseph said to him, (H)“This is the interpretation of it: The three branches (I)are three days. 13 Now within three days Pharaoh will (J)lift up your head and restore you to your [b]place, and you will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand according to the former manner, when you were his butler. 14 But (K)remember me when it is well with you, and (L)please show kindness to me; make mention of me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house. 15 For indeed I was (M)stolen away from the land of the Hebrews; (N)and also I have done nothing here that they should put me into the dungeon.”
16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said to Joseph, “I also was in my dream, and there were three [c]white baskets on my head. 17 In the uppermost basket were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, and the birds ate them out of the basket on my head.”
18 So Joseph answered and said, (O)“This is the interpretation of it: The three baskets are three days. 19 (P)Within three days Pharaoh will lift [d]off your head from you and (Q)hang you on a tree; and the birds will eat your flesh from you.”
20 Now it came to pass on the third day, which was Pharaoh’s (R)birthday, that he (S)made a feast for all his servants; and he (T)lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants. 21 Then he (U)restored the chief butler to his butlership again, and (V)he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand. 22 But he (W)hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. 23 Yet the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but (X)forgot him.
Footnotes
- Genesis 40:6 dejected
- Genesis 40:13 position
- Genesis 40:16 Or baskets of white bread
- Genesis 40:19 Lit. up
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.
Copyright © 1969, 2003 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
