Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

40 (vii) Some time later it came about that the Egyptian king’s cupbearer and baker gave offense to their lord the king of Egypt. ² Pharaoh became angry with his two officers the chief cupbearer and the chief baker. ³ So he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison, in the same place where Yosef was kept. ⁴ The captain of the guard charged Yosef to be with them, and he became their attendant while they remained in prison.

⁵ One night the two of them, the king of Egypt’s cupbearer and his baker, there in prison, both had dreams, each dream with its own meaning. ⁶ Yosef came in to them in the morning and saw that they looked sad. ⁷ He asked Pharaoh’s officers there with him in the prison of his master’s house, “Why are you looking so sad today?” ⁸ They said to him, “We each had a dream, and there’s no one around who can interpret it.” Yosef said to them, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell it to me, please.”

⁹ Then the chief cupbearer told Yosef his dream: “In my dream, there in front of me was a vine, ¹⁰ and the vine had three branches. The branches budded, then it suddenly began to blossom, and finally clusters of ripe grapes appeared. ¹¹ Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, so I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and gave the cup to Pharaoh.” ¹² Yosef said to him, “Here is its interpretation: the three branches are three days. ¹³ Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office: you will be giving Pharaoh his cup as you used to when you were his cupbearer. ¹⁴ But remember me when it goes well with you; and show me kindness, please; and mention me to Pharaoh, so that he will release me from this prison. ¹⁵ For the truth is that I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and here too I have done nothing wrong that would justify putting me in this dungeon.”

¹⁶ When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was favorable, he said to Yosef, “I too saw in my dream: there were three baskets of white bread on my head. ¹⁷ In the uppermost basket there were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds ate them out of the basket on my head.” ¹⁸ Yosef answered, “Here is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days. ¹⁹ Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head from off of you — he will hang you on a tree, and the birds will eat your flesh off you.”

(Maftir) ²⁰ On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he gave a party for all his officials, and he lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his officials. ²¹ He restored the chief cupbearer back to his position, so that he again gave Pharaoh his cup. ²² But he hanged the chief baker, as Yosef had interpreted to them. ²³ Nevertheless, the chief cupbearer didn’t remember Yosef, but forgot him.

Haftarah Vayeshev: ‘Amos (Amos) 2:6–3:8

B’rit Hadashah suggested reading for Parashah Vayeshev: Acts 7:9–16 (specifically vv. 9–10)

²³ He boarded the boat, and his talmidim followed. ²⁴ Then, without warning, a furious storm arose on the lake, so that waves were sweeping over the boat. But Yeshua was sleeping. ²⁵ So they came and roused him, saying, “Sir! Help! We’re about to die!” ²⁶ He said to them, “Why are you afraid? So little trust you have!” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and there was a dead calm. ²⁷ The men were astounded. They asked, “What kind of man is this, that even the winds and sea obey him?”