Genesis 40:1-10

1 Some time after this, the cupbearer of the king of Egypt and his baker offended their lord the king of Egypt.

2 Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker,

3 and he 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 charged Joseph with them, and he waited on them; and they continued for some time in custody.

5 One night they both dreamed—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison—each his own dream, and each dream with its own meaning.

6 When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were troubled.

7 So he asked Pharaoh's officers, who were with him in custody in his master's house, "Why are your faces downcast today?"

8 They said to him, "We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them." And Joseph said to them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me."

9 So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, "In my dream there was a vine before me,

10 and on the vine there were three branches. As soon as it budded, its blossoms came out and the clusters ripened into grapes.

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.