Genesis 40:1-11

1 After these things happened, two of the king's officers displeased the king -- the man who served wine to the king and the king's baker.

2 The king became angry with his officer who served him wine and his baker,

3 so he put them in the prison of the captain of the guard, the same prison where Joseph was kept.

4 The captain of the guard put the two prisoners in Joseph's care, and they stayed in prison for some time.

5 One night both the king's officer who served him wine and the baker had a dream. Each had his own dream with its own meaning.

6 When Joseph came to them the next morning, he saw they were worried.

7 He asked the king's officers who were with him, "Why do you look so unhappy today?"

8 The two men answered, "We both had dreams last night, but no one can explain their meaning to us." Joseph said to them, "God is the only One who can explain the meaning of dreams. Tell me your dreams."

9 So the man who served wine to the king told Joseph his dream. He said, "I dreamed I saw a vine, and

10 on the vine were three branches. I watched the branches bud and blossom, and then the grapes ripened.

11 I was holding the king's cup, so I took the grapes and squeezed the juice into the cup. Then I gave it to the king."

Genesis 40:1-11 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.