Genesis 40:8-18

8 They answered, "We've both had dreams, but there's no one to interpret them." Joseph said to them, "Don't interpretations belong to God? Describe your dreams to me."
9 The chief wine steward described his dream to Joseph: "In my dream there was a vine right in front of me,
10 and on the vine were three branches. When it budded, its blossoms appeared, and its clusters ripened into grapes.
11 Pharaoh's cup was in my hand, so I took the grapes, crushed them into Pharaoh's cup, and put the cup in Pharaoh's hand."
12 Joseph said to him, "This is the dream's interpretation: The three branches are three days.
13 After three days, Pharaoh will give you an audience and return you to your position. You will put Pharaoh's cup in his hand, just the way things were before when you were his wine steward.
14 But please, remember me when you are doing well and be loyal to me. Put in a good word for me to Pharaoh, so he sets me free from this prison.
15 I was stolen from the land of the Hebrews, and here too I've done nothing to be thrown into this dungeon."
16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was favorable, he said to Joseph, "It was the same for me. In my dream, there were three baskets of white bread on my head.
17 In the basket on top there were baked goods for Pharaoh's food, but birds were eating them out of the basket on my head."
18 Joseph responded, "This is the dream's interpretation: The three baskets are three days.

Genesis 40:8-18 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 40

The history of this chapter is, the imprisonment of two of Pharaoh's officers, his chief butler and chief baker, who by the captain of the guard were made the charge of Joseph, Ge 40:1-4; they both dreamed in prison, which made them sad; Joseph taking notice of their sadness, asked the reason of it, and encouraged them to tell him their dreams, Ge 40:5-8; the chief butler told his dream of the vine and three branches, which Joseph interpreted of his restoration to his office within three days, and desired him to remember him unto Pharaoh when he stood before him, telling him his case, Ge 40:9-15; then the chief baker told his dream of three white baskets of food on his head, which the birds ate, and this Joseph interpreted of his being hanged within three days, Ge 40:16-19; and the events answered to the interpretation, but Joseph was forgot by the chief butler, Ge 40:20-23.

Footnotes 1

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