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Genesis 40
New International Version

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. 2 Pharaoh was angry(C) with his two officials,(D) the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, 3 and put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard,(E) in the same prison where Joseph was confined. 4 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, 5 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)

6 When Joseph came to them the next morning, he saw that they were dejected. 7 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)

8 “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.”

9 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
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Genesis 40
New English Translation

The Cupbearer and the Baker

40 After these things happened, the cupbearer[a] to the king of Egypt and the royal baker[b] offended[c] their master, the king of Egypt. 2 Pharaoh was enraged with his two officials,[d] the cupbearer and the baker, 3 so he imprisoned them in the house of the captain of the guard in the same facility where Joseph was confined. 4 The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be their attendant, and he served them.[e]

They spent some time in custody.[f] 5 Both of them, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, had a dream[g] the same night.[h] Each man’s dream had its own meaning.[i] 6 When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were looking depressed.[j] 7 So he asked Pharaoh’s officials, who were with him in custody in his master’s house, “Why do you look so sad today?”[k] 8 They told him, “We both had dreams,[l] but there is no one to interpret them.” Joseph responded, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell them[m] to me.”

9 So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph:[n] “In my dream, there was a vine in front of me. 10 On the vine there were three branches. As it budded, its blossoms opened and its clusters ripened into grapes. 11 Now Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, so I took the grapes, squeezed them into his[o] cup, and put the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.”[p]

12 “This is its meaning,” Joseph said to him. “The three branches represent[q] three days. 13 In three more days Pharaoh will reinstate you[r] and restore you to your office. You will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you did before[s] when you were cupbearer. 14 But remember me[t] when it goes well for you, and show[u] me kindness.[v] Make mention[w] of me to Pharaoh and bring me out of this prison,[x] 15 for I really was kidnapped[y] from the land of the Hebrews and I have done nothing wrong here for which they should put me in a dungeon.”

16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation of the first dream was favorable,[z] he said to Joseph, “I also appeared in my dream and there were three baskets of white bread[aa] on my head. 17 In the top basket there were baked goods of every kind for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them from the basket that was on my head.”

18 Joseph replied, “This is its meaning: The three baskets represent[ab] three days. 19 In three more days Pharaoh will decapitate you[ac] and impale you on a pole. Then the birds will eat your flesh from you.”

20 On the third day it was Pharaoh’s birthday, so he gave a feast for all his servants. He “lifted up”[ad] the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker in the midst of his servants. 21 He restored the chief cupbearer to his former position[ae] so that he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand, 22 but the chief baker he impaled, just as Joseph had predicted.[af] 23 But the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph—he forgot him.[ag]

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 40:1 sn The Hebrew term cupbearer corresponds to the Egyptian wb’, an official (frequently a foreigner) who often became a confidant of the king and wielded political power (see K. A. Kitchen, NBD3 248). Nehemiah held this post in Persia.
  2. Genesis 40:1 sn The baker may be the Egyptian retehti, the head of the bakers, who had privileges in the royal court.
  3. Genesis 40:1 sn The Hebrew verb translated offended here is the same one translated “sin” in 39:9. Perhaps there is an intended contrast between these officials, who deserve to be imprisoned, and Joseph, who refused to sin against God, but was thrown into prison in spite of his innocence.
  4. Genesis 40:2 tn The Hebrew word סָרִיס (saris), used here of these two men and of Potiphar (see 39:1), normally means “eunuch.” But evidence from Akkadian texts shows that in early times the title was used of a court official in general. Only later did it become more specialized in its use.
  5. Genesis 40:4 sn He served them. This is the same Hebrew verb, meaning “to serve as a personal attendant,” that was translated “became [his] servant” in 39:4.
  6. Genesis 40:4 tn Heb “they were days in custody.”
  7. Genesis 40:5 tn Heb “dreamed a dream.”
  8. Genesis 40:5 tn Heb “a man his dream in one night.”
  9. Genesis 40:5 tn Heb “a man according to the interpretation of his dream.”
  10. Genesis 40:6 tn The verb זָעַף (zaʿaf) only occurs here and Dan 1:10. It means “to be sick, to be emaciated,” probably in this case because of depression.
  11. Genesis 40:7 tn Heb “why are your faces sad today?”
  12. Genesis 40:8 tn Heb “a dream we dreamed.”
  13. Genesis 40:8 tn The word “them” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  14. Genesis 40:9 tn The Hebrew text adds “and he said to him.” This has not been translated because it is redundant in English.
  15. Genesis 40:11 tn Heb “the cup of Pharaoh.” The pronoun “his” has been used here in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  16. Genesis 40:11 sn The cupbearer’s dream is dominated by sets of three: three branches, three stages of growth, and three actions of the cupbearer.
  17. Genesis 40:12 tn Heb “the three branches [are].”
  18. Genesis 40:13 tn Heb “Pharaoh will lift up your head.” This Hebrew idiom usually refers to restoring dignity, office, or power. It is comparable to the modern saying “someone can hold his head up high.”
  19. Genesis 40:13 tn Heb “according to the former custom.”
  20. Genesis 40:14 tn Heb “but you have remembered me with you.” The perfect verbal form may be used rhetorically here to emphasize Joseph’s desire to be remembered. He speaks of the action as already being accomplished in order to make it clear that he expects it to be done. The form can be translated as volitional, expressing a plea or a request.
  21. Genesis 40:14 tn This perfect verbal form with the prefixed conjunction (and the two that immediately follow) carry the same force as the preceding perfect.
  22. Genesis 40:14 tn Heb “deal with me [in] kindness.”
  23. Genesis 40:14 tn The verb זָכַר (zakhar) in the Hiphil stem means “to cause to remember, to make mention, to boast.” The implication is that Joseph would be pleased for them to tell his story and give him the credit due him so that Pharaoh would release him. Since Pharaoh had never met Joseph, the simple translation of “cause him to remember me” would mean little.
  24. Genesis 40:14 tn Heb “house.” The word “prison” has been substituted in the translation for clarity.
  25. Genesis 40:15 tn The verb גָּנַב (ganav) means “to steal,” but in the Piel/Pual stem “to steal away.” The idea of “kidnap” would be closer to the sense, meaning he was stolen and carried off. The preceding infinitive absolute underscores the point Joseph is making.
  26. Genesis 40:16 tn Heb “that [the] interpretation [was] good.” The words “the first dream” are supplied in the translation for clarity.
  27. Genesis 40:16 tn Or “three wicker baskets.” The meaning of the Hebrew noun חֹרִי (khori, “white bread, cake”) is uncertain; some have suggested the meaning “wicker” instead. Comparison with texts from Ebla suggests the meaning “pastries made with white flour” (M. Dahood, “Eblaite ḫa-rí and Genesis 40, 16 ḥōrî,” BN 13 [1980]: 14-16).
  28. Genesis 40:18 tn Heb “the three baskets [are].”
  29. Genesis 40:19 tn Heb “Pharaoh will lift up your head from upon you.” Joseph repeats the same expression from the first interpretation (see v. 13), but with the added words “from upon you,” which allow the statement to have a more literal and ominous meaning—the baker will be decapitated.
  30. Genesis 40:20 tn The translation puts the verb in quotation marks because it is used rhetorically here and has a double meaning. With respect to the cupbearer it means “reinstate” (see v. 13), but with respect to the baker it means “decapitate” (see v. 19).
  31. Genesis 40:21 tn Heb “his cupbearing.”
  32. Genesis 40:22 tn Heb “had interpreted for them.”sn The dreams were fulfilled exactly as Joseph had predicted, down to the very detail. Here was confirmation that Joseph could interpret dreams and that his own dreams were still valid. It would have been a tremendous encouragement to his faith, but it would also have been a great disappointment to spend two more years in jail.
  33. Genesis 40:23 tn The wayyiqtol verbal form here has a reiterative or emphasizing function.
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Bereshis 40
Orthodox Jewish Bible

40 And it came to pass after these things, that the mashkeh (cupbearer) Melech Mitzrayim and his ofeh (baker) had offended adoneihem Melech Mitzrayim.

2 And Pharaoh was in wrath against two of his sarisim, against the sar hamashkim, and against the sar ha’ofim.

3 And he put them b’mishmar (under watch, in custody) in the bais sar hatabachim (house of the captain of the bodyguards), in the bais hasohar, in the makom (place) where Yosef was incarcerated.

4 And the sar hatabachim charged Yosef with them, and he ministered to them; and they continued a season b’mishmar (in custody, under watch).

5 And they dreamed a chalom both of them, each man his chalom in lailah echad (in one night, the same night), and each chalom with its own pitron (meaning, interpretation), the mashkeh and the ofeh of Melech Mitzrayim, which were prisoners in the bais hasohar.

6 And Yosef came in unto them in the boker, and looked upon them, and, hinei, they were zo’afim (troubled ones, sad ones).

7 And he asked the sarisim of Pharaoh that were with him b’mishmar (in the custody ward) of bais adonav, saying, Why look ye so ra’im (bad, downcast ones) hayom (today)?

8 And they said unto him, We have dreamed a chalom, and there is no poter (interpreter) of it. And Yosef said unto them, Do not pitronim (interpretations) belong to Elohim? Tell now to me.

9 And the sar hamashkim told his chalom to Yosef, and said to him, In my chalom, hinei, a gefen was before me;

10 And in the gefen were shloshah sarigim (three branches); and it was as soon as it budded, its blossom shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth anavim (ripe grapes);

11 And the kos Pharaoh was in my yad; and I took the anavim (grapes), and pressed them into kos Pharaoh, and I put the kos into the palm of Pharaoh.

12 And Yosef said unto him, This is the pitron (interpretation) of it; The shloshet hasarigim are shloshet yamim.

13 Within shloshet yamim shall Pharaoh lift up thine rosh, and restore thee unto thy ken (place, post); and thou shalt deliver kos Pharaoh into his yad, after the mishpat harishon (former practice) when thou wast his mashkeh.

14 But remember me [see Amos 6:6] when it shall be well with thee, and show chesed now unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this bais;

15 For indeed I was stolen away out of the Eretz HaIvrim; and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the bor (dungeon).

16 When the sar ha’ofim saw that he had done the pitron well, he said unto Yosef, I also was in my chalom, and, hinei, I had shloshah salei chori (three baskets of cakes) on my rosh;

17 And in the sal haelyon (uppermost basket) there was all manner of food for Pharaoh; and ha’oph (the birds) did eat them out of the sal (basket) upon my rosh.

18 And Yosef answered and said, This is the pitron (interpretation, meaning) thereof: The shloshet hasalim (three baskets) are shloshet yamim.

19 Yet within shloshet yamim shall Pharaoh lift off thy rosh from on thee, and shall hang thee on an etz; and ha’oph (the birds) shall eat thy basar from off thee.

20 And it came to pass on Yom HaShlishi, which was the yom huledet of Pharaoh, that he made a mishteh (feast) unto all his avadim; and he lifted up the rosh sar hamashkim and the rosh sar ha’ofim (head of the chief baker) in the midst of his avadim (officials).

21 He restored the sar hamashkim unto his mashkeh; and he gave the kos into the palm of Pharaoh;

22 But he hanged the sar ha’ofim: just as Yosef had made the pitron to them.

23 Yet did not the sar hamashkim remember Yosef [see Amos 6:6] but forgot him.

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Génesis 40
Biblia del Jubileo

40 ¶ Y aconteció después de estas cosas, que el maestresala del rey de Egipto, y el panadero, habían pecado contra su señor el rey de Egipto.

2 Y el Faraón se enojó contra sus dos oficiales, contra el principal de los maestresalas, y contra el principal de los panaderos;

3 y los puso en la cárcel de la casa del capitán de los de la guardia, en la casa de la cárcel donde José estaba preso.

4 Y el capitán de los de la guardia dio cargo de ellos a José, y él les servía; y estuvieron días en la cárcel.

5 ¶ Y ambos, el maestresala y el panadero del rey de Egipto, que estaban presos en la cárcel, soñaron un sueño, cada uno su sueño en una misma noche, cada uno conforme a la declaración de su sueño.

6 Y vino a ellos José por la mañana, y los miró, y he aquí que estaban tristes.

7 Y él preguntó a aquellos oficiales del Faraón, que estaban con él en la cárcel de la casa de su señor, diciendo: ¿Por qué parecen hoy mal vuestros rostros?

8 Y ellos le dijeron: Hemos tenido un sueño, y no hay quién lo interprete. Entonces les dijo José: ¿No son de Dios las interpretaciones? Contádmelo ahora.

9 Entonces el principal de los maestresalas contó su sueño a José, y le dijo: Yo soñaba que veía una vid delante de mí,

10 y en la vid tres sarmientos; y ella como que florecía, salía su renuevo, maduraron sus racimos de uvas;

11 y que el vaso de Faraón estaba en mi mano, y que yo tomaba las uvas, y las exprimía en el vaso del Faraón, y daba el vaso en la mano del Faraón.

12 Y le dijo José: Esta es su declaración: Los tres sarmientos son tres días;

13 al cabo de tres días el Faraón levantará tu cabeza, y te hará volver a tu asiento; y darás el vaso al Faraón en su mano, como solías cuando eras su maestresala.

14 Por tanto te acordarás de mí dentro de ti cuando tuvieres bien, y te ruego que hagas conmigo misericordia, que hagas mención de mí al Faraón, y me saques de esta casa;

15 porque he sido hurtado de la tierra de los hebreos; y tampoco he hecho nada aquí para que me pusieran en la cárcel.

16 Y viendo el principal de los panaderos que había declarado para bien, dijo a José: También yo soñaba que veía tres canastillos blancos sobre mi cabeza;

17 y en el canastillo más alto había de todas las viandas del Faraón, obra de panadero; y que las aves las comían del canastillo de sobre mi cabeza.

18 Entonces respondió José, y dijo: Esta es su declaración: Los tres canastillos tres días son.

19 Al cabo de tres días quitará el Faraón tu cabeza de sobre ti, y te hará colgar en un madero, y las aves comerán tu carne de sobre ti.

20 ¶ Y fue al tercer día el día del cumpleaños del Faraón, e hizo banquete a todos sus esclavos; y alzó la cabeza del príncipe de los maestresalas, y la cabeza del príncipe de los panaderos, entre sus esclavos.

21 E hizo volver a su oficio al príncipe de los maestresalas; y dio el vaso en mano del Faraón.

22 Mas hizo colgar al príncipe de los panaderos, como le había declarado José.

23 Y el príncipe de los maestresalas no se acordó de José, sino que se olvidó de él.

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