Genesis 40:1-10

1 When these things were done, it befelled that two geldings, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, sinned to their lord. (After these things were done, it befell that two eunuchs, Pharaoh's butler and baker, sinned against their lord.)
2 And Pharaoh was wroth against them, for the one was (the) master butler, and the tother was (the) master baker.
3 And he sent them into the prison of the prince of knights, in which also Joseph was bound. (And he sent them into the prison of the captain of the guard, where Joseph was also kept.)
4 And the keeper of the prison betook them to Joseph, which also served, or kept, them. Somewhat of time passed, and they were holden in keeping, (And the ruler of the prison delivered them unto Joseph, who served them. Some time passed, and they were still held in the prison,)
5 and both saw a dream in one night, by covenable expounding to them. (when both of them had a dream one night, and they needed their dreams to be interpreted.)
6 And when Joseph had entered to them early, and had seen them sorry, (And when Joseph came to them in the morning, and saw them looking sorrowful, or sad,)
7 he asked them, and said, Why is your cheer heavier today than it is wont (to be)? (he asked them, Why are your faces so heavy, or so unhappy, today?)
8 Which answered, We (each) saw a dream, and there is no man that expoundeth it to us. And Joseph said to them, Whether the expounding is not of God? Tell ye to me what ye have seen. (And they answered, We have each had a dream, and there is no one to interpret it for us. And Joseph said to them, Should not the interpretation come from God? Tell me what ye have seen.)
9 The master butler told first his dream; I saw before me that a vine, (So the master butler told his dream first, and he said, I saw that there was a vine before me,)
10 in which were three scions, waxed little and little into burgeonings, and that after the flowers (came), the grapes waxed ripe, (which had three branches, that over time had more and more buds, and after the flowers came, the grapes ripened,)

Genesis 40:1-10 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.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.