Genesis 40:1-6

The Wine Taster and the Baker

1 Some time later, the Egyptian king's baker and wine taster did something their master didn't like.

2 So Pharaoh became angry with his two officials, the chief wine taster and the chief baker.

3 He put them in prison in the house of the captain of the palace guard. It was the same prison where Joseph was kept.

4 The captain put Joseph in charge of those men. So Joseph took care of them. Some time passed while they were in prison.

5 Then each of the two men had a dream. The men were the Egyptian king's baker and wine taster. They were being held in prison. Both of them had dreams the same night. Each of their dreams had its own meaning.

6 Joseph came to them the next morning. He saw that they were sad.

Genesis 40:1-6 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.