h Introduction. 1-8. His fellow prisoners and their dreams.e i l 9-11. The Butler's dream. m 12,13. Its Interpretation. k 14,15. Joseph's request (made). i l 16,17. The Baker's dream. m 18-22. Its Interpretation. k 23. Joseph's request (forgotten).
1717 B.C.
Genesis 40)
1 And it came to pass after these things, that the butler (= the cup-bearer) of the king of Egypt and his baker had offended their lord the king of Egypt. (A Papyrus, in the National Library Paris-19th dynasty, gives the names of similar office-Djadja, the chief; and mentions "114,064 loaves made in the white fortress"-See Records of the Past)
2 And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the cup-bearers, and against the chief of the bakers.
3 And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound.
4 And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them: and they continued a season in ward. (perhaps a year)
5 And they dreamed an (important) dream both of them, each man his dream in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, which were bound in the prison.
6 And Joseph came in to them in the morning, and looked upon them, and, behold, they were sad. (Anytime we are unable to interpret, or understand something we are sad. Where does all wisdom and understanding come from?)
7 And he asked Pharaoh's officers that were with him in the ward of his lord's house, saying, "Why do you look so sadly today?"
8 And they said to him, "We have had a significant dream, and there is no interpreter of it." And Joseph said to them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you."
9 And the chief butler (= the cup-bearer) told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, "In my dream, behold, a vine was before me;
10 And in the vine were three branches: and it was as
though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes:
11 And Pharaoh's cup was in my hand: and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup (a religious ceremony, connected with the worship of Horus, portrayed in Egyptian paintings. Existence of vines in Egypt has been denied by critics; but now they are seen depicted in paintings. In the cup was honey, or some other liquid, with which the grape juice was mixed), and I gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand."
12 And Joseph said to him, "This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days:
13 Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up your head (= restore you to favor. For this is the highest honor that the cup-bearer could have), and restore you to your place: and you shall deliver Pharaoh's cup into his hand, after the former manner when you were his butler.
14 But think on me when it shall be well with you (cp. Luke 23:42), and show kindness, I pray you, to me, and make mention of me to Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house:
15 For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews: and here also have I done nothing 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, behold, I had three white baskets on my head:
17 And in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of bake-meats for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head."
18 And Joseph answered and said, "This is the interpretation thereof: The three baskets are three days: 19 Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up your head from off you (cp. this with v.13), and shall hang you on a tree; and the birds shall eat your flesh from off you."
20 And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday (These were observed with great ceremony and state. Critics have supposed it to be only a Persian custom. The Rosetta stone contains a decree concerning the keeping of the birthday feast of Ptolemy Epiphanes. Other evidence is forthcoming), that he made a feast to all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief
cup-bearer and of the chief baker among his servants.
21 And he restored (cp. v.13, and see 41:13) the chief cup-bearer to his cup-bearing again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand:
22 But he hanged (cp. v.19, and see 41:13) the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them.
23 Yet did not the chief cup-bearer remember Joseph, but forgot him. (Used for great emphasis. Cp. Amos 6:6)