Genesis 40:1-9

1 And it came to pass after these things, [that] the butler of the king of Egypt and [his] baker had offended their lord the king of Egypt.

2 And Pharaoh was wroth with two [of] his officers, with the chief of the butlers, and with the chief of the bakers.

3 And he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph [was] bound.

4 And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them; and they continued a season in custody.

5 And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream; the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, who [were] bound in the prison.

6 And Joseph came to them in the morning, and looked upon them, and behold, they [were] sad.

7 And he asked Pharaoh's officers that [were] with him in the ward of his lord's house, saying, Why look ye [so] sad to-day?

8 And they said to him, We have dreamed a dream, and [there is] no interpreter of it. And Joseph said to them, [Do] not interpretations [belong] to God? tell me [them], I pray you.

9 And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, In my dream, behold, a vine [was] before me;

Genesis 40:1-9 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.