Bereshis 40:17

17 And in the sal haelyon (uppermost basket) there was all manner of food for Pharaoh; and ha’oph (the birds) did eat them out of the sal (basket) upon my rosh.

Bereshis 40:17 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 40:17

And in the uppermost basket [there was] of all manner of
bakemeats for Pharaoh
All sorts of pastry, as tarts, pies, &c. Josephus ^F2 says, two of the baskets were full of bread, and the third had various sorts of food, such as is usually, prepared for kings: and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head;
all the three baskets were upon his head, but this seems to be the uppermost, which the birds could more easily come at; though if the baskets were full of holes, they might through them peck the bread with their bills.

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FOOTNOTES:

F2 Antiqu. l. 2. c. 5. sect. 3.

Bereshis 40:17 In-Context

15 For indeed I was stolen away out of the Eretz HaIvrim; and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the bor (dungeon).

16 When the sar ha’ofim saw that he had done the pitron well, he said unto Yosef, I also was in my chalom, and, hinei, I had shloshah salei chori (three baskets of cakes) on my rosh;

17 And in the sal haelyon (uppermost basket) there was all manner of food for Pharaoh; and ha’oph (the birds) did eat them out of the sal (basket) upon my rosh.

18 And Yosef answered and said, This is the pitron (interpretation, meaning) thereof: The shloshet hasalim (three baskets) are shloshet yamim.

19 Yet within shloshet yamim shall Pharaoh lift off thy rosh from on thee, and shall hang thee on an etz; and ha’oph (the birds) shall eat thy basar from off thee.