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Joseph Interprets Two Dreams

40 After these things happened, two of the king’s officers displeased the king. These officers were the man who served wine to the king and the king’s baker. The king became angry with his officer who served him wine and his baker. So he put them in the prison of the captain of the guard. This was the same prison where Joseph was kept. The captain of the guard put the two prisoners in Joseph’s care. They stayed in prison for some time.

One night both the king’s officer who served him wine and the baker had a dream. Each had his own dream with its own meaning. When Joseph came to them the next morning, he saw they were worried. Joseph asked the king’s officers who were with him, “Why do you look so unhappy today?”

The two men answered, “We both had dreams last night. But no one can explain the meaning of them to us.”

Joseph said to them, “God is the only One who can explain the meaning of dreams. So tell me your dreams.”

So the man who served wine to the king told Joseph his dream. He said, “I dreamed I saw a vine. 10 On the vine there were three branches. I watched the branches bud and blossom, and then the grapes ripened. 11 I was holding the king’s cup. So I took the grapes and squeezed the juice into the cup. Then I gave it to the king.”

12 Then Joseph said, “I will explain the dream to you. The three branches stand for three days. 13 Before the end of three days the king will free you. He will allow you to return to your work. You will serve the king his wine just as you did before. 14 But when you are free, remember me. Be kind to me. Tell the king about me so that I can get out of this prison. 15 I was taken by force from the land of the Hebrews. And I have done nothing here to deserve being put in prison.”

16 The baker saw that Joseph’s explanation of the dream was good. So he said to Joseph, “I also had a dream. I dreamed there were three bread baskets on my head. 17 In the top basket there were all kinds of baked food for the king. But the birds were eating this food out of the basket on my head.”

18 Joseph answered, “I will tell you what the dream means. The three baskets stand for three days. 19 Before the end of three days, the king will cut off your head! He will hang your body on a pole. And the birds will eat your flesh.”

20 Three days later it was the king’s birthday. So he gave a feast for all his officers. In front of his officers, he let the chief officer who served his wine and the chief baker out of prison. 21 The king gave his chief officer who served wine his old position. Once again he put the king’s cup of wine into the king’s hand. 22 But the king hanged the baker on a pole. Everything happened just as Joseph had said it would. 23 But the officer who served wine did not remember Joseph. He forgot all about him.

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
'Genesis 40 ' not found for the version: New Matthew Bible.