Genesis 40:1-6

Joseph Interprets Dreams in Prison

1 And it happened [that] after these things the cupbearer of the king of Egypt and [his] baker did wrong against their lord, against the king of Egypt.

2 And Pharaoh was angry with his two officials, with the chief cupbearer and chief baker.

3 And he put them in custody in the house of the chief of the guard, into the prison where Joseph was confined.

4 And the chief of the guard appointed Joseph [to be] with them, and he attended them. And they were in custody {many days}.

5 And the two of them, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who [were] confined in the prison, dreamed a dream, each his own dream, with its own interpretation.

6 When Joseph came to them in the morning he looked at them, and behold, they were troubled.

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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "days"