Genesis 40:6-16

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

7 So he asked these officials of Pharaoh who were with him in his master's prison, "Why do you look so unhappy today?"

8 "We both had dreams," they answered him, "but there's no one to tell us what they mean." "Isn't God the only one who can tell what they mean?" Joseph asked them. "Why don't you tell me all about them."

9 So the chief cupbearer told Joseph his dream. He said "In my dream a grapevine with three branches appeared in front of me.

10 Soon after it sprouted it blossomed. Then its clusters ripened into grapes.

11 Pharaoh's cup was in my hand, so I took the grapes and squeezed them into it. I put the cup in Pharaoh's hand."

12 "This is what it means," Joseph said to him. "The three branches are three days.

13 In the next three days Pharaoh will release you and restore you to your position. You will put Pharaoh's cup in his hand as you used to do when you were his cupbearer.

14 Remember me when things go well for you, and please do me a favor. Mention me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this prison.

15 I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I've done nothing to deserve being put in this prison."

16 The chief baker saw that the meaning Joseph had given to the cupbearer's dream was good. So he said to Joseph, "I had a dream too. In my dream three baskets of white baked goods were on my head.

Genesis 40:6-16 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.