Genesis 40:1-7

Joseph Interprets Two Prisoners' Dreams

1 After this, the king of Egypt's cupbearer and his baker offended their master, the king of Egypt.
2 Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker,
3 and put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison where Joseph was confined.
4 The captain of the guard assigned Joseph to them, and he became their personal attendant. And they were in custody for some time.[a]
5 The cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, each had a dream. Both had a dream on the same night, and each dream had its own meaning.
6 When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they looked distraught.
7 So he asked Pharaoh's officers who were in custody with him in his master's house, "Why are your faces sad today?"

Genesis 40:1-7 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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