Genesis 40:10-20

10 and in the vine were three branches, and it was as though it budded and her blossoms shot forth, and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes;

11 and Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand.

12 And Joseph said unto him, This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days;

13 yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head and restore thee unto thy place, and thou shalt deliver Pharaoh’s cup into his hand after the former manner when thou wast his butler.

14 Therefore thou shalt think of me within thyself when it shall be well with thee, and show mercy, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh and bring me out of this house;

15 for indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews; neither have I done anything here that they should put me into the prison.

16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said unto Joseph, I also was in my dream, and, behold, I had three white baskets on my head;

17 and in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of baked foods for Pharaoh, and the birds ate them out of the basket upon my head.

18 Then Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation thereof: The three baskets are three days.

19 Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee and shall hang thee on a tree, and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee.

20 And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a banquet unto all his slaves, and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his slaves.

Genesis 40:10-20 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.