Genesis — Chapter 40

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1Some time later, the king’s cupbearer and baker offended their master, the king of Egypt.

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

3and imprisoned them in the house of the captain of the guard, the same prison where Joseph was confined.

4The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he became their personal attendant. After they had been in custody for some time,

5both of these men—the Egyptian king’s cupbearer and baker, who were being held in the prison—had a dream on the same night, and each dream had its own meaning.

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

7So he asked the officials of Pharaoh who were in custody with him in his master’s house, “Why are your faces so downcast today?”

8“We both had dreams,” they replied, “but there is no one to interpret them.” Then Joseph said to them, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams.”

9So the chief cupbearer told Joseph his dream: “In my dream there was a vine before me,

10and on the vine were three branches. As it budded, its blossoms opened and its clusters ripened into grapes.

11Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes, squeezed them into his cup, and placed the cup in his hand.”

12Joseph replied, “This is the interpretation: The three branches are three days.

13Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore your position. You will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you did when you were his cupbearer.

14But when it goes well for you, please remember me and show me kindness by mentioning me to Pharaoh, that he might bring me out of this prison.

15For I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing for which they should have put me in this dungeon.”

16When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was favorable, he said to Joseph, “I too had a dream: There were three baskets of white bread on my head.

17In the top basket were all sorts of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head.”

18Joseph replied, “This is the interpretation: The three baskets are three days.

19Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head and hang you on a tree. Then the birds will eat the flesh of your body.”

20On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he held a feast for all his officials, and in their presence he lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker.

21Pharaoh restored the chief cupbearer to his position, so that he once again placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.

22But Pharaoh hanged the chief baker, just as Joseph had described to them in his interpretation.

23The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot all about him.

1And 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.

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

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

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

5And 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, which were bound in the prison.

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

7And he asked Pharaoh’s officers that were with him in the ward of his lord’s house, saying, Wherefore look ye so sadly to day?

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

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

10And 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:

11And 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.

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

13Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thine 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.

14But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and shew kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house:

15For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews: and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.

16When 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:

17And in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of bakemeats for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head.

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

19Yet 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.

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

21And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand:

22But he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them.

23Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him.

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

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

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

4And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he ministered unto them: and they continued a season in ward.

5And 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.

6And Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and saw them, and, behold, they were sad.

7And he asked Pharaoh`s officers that were with him in ward in his master`s house, saying, Wherefore look ye so sad to-day?

8And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell it me, I pray you.

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

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

11and 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.

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

13within yet three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head, and restore thee unto thine office: and thou shalt give Pharaoh`s cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his butler.

14But have me in thy remembrance when it shall be well with thee, and show kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house:

15for indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews: and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.

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

17and in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of baked food for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head.

18And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation thereof: the three baskets are three days;

19within yet 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.

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

21And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh`s hand:

22but he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them.

23Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him.

1After these things happened, the cupbearer to the king of Egypt and the royal baker offended their master, the king of Egypt.

2Pharaoh was enraged with his two officials, the cupbearer and the baker,

3so he imprisoned them in the house of the captain of the guard in the same facility where Joseph was confined.

4The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be their attendant, and he served them. They spent some time in custody.

5Both of them, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, had a dream the same night. Each man’s dream had its own meaning.

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

7So he asked Pharaoh’s officials, who were with him in custody in his master’s house, “Why do you look so sad today?”

8They told him, “We both had dreams, but there is no one to interpret them.” Joseph responded, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me.”

9So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph: “In my dream, there was a vine in front of me.

10On the vine there were three branches. As it budded, its blossoms opened and its clusters ripened into grapes.

11Now Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, so I took the grapes, squeezed them into his cup, and put the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.”

12“This is its meaning,” Joseph said to him. “The three branches represent three days.

13In three more days Pharaoh will reinstate you and restore you to your office. You will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you did before when you were cupbearer.

14But remember me when it goes well for you, and show me kindness. Make mention of me to Pharaoh and bring me out of this prison,

15for I really was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews and I have done nothing wrong here for which they should put me in a dungeon.”

16When the chief baker saw that the interpretation of the first dream was favorable, he said to Joseph, “I also appeared in my dream and there were three baskets of white bread on my head.

17In the top basket there were baked goods of every kind for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them from the basket that was on my head.”

18Joseph replied, “This is its meaning: The three baskets represent three days.

19In three more days Pharaoh will decapitate you and impale you on a pole. Then the birds will eat your flesh from you.”

20On the third day it was Pharaoh’s birthday, so he gave a feast for all his servants. He “lifted up” the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker in the midst of his servants.

21He restored the chief cupbearer to his former position so that he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand,

22but the chief baker he impaled, just as Joseph had predicted.

23But the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph—he forgot him.

1After these things, the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker offended their lord, the king of Egypt.

2Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cup bearer and the chief baker.

3He put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound.

4The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he took care of them. They stayed in prison many days.

5They both dreamed a dream, each man his dream, in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the cup bearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were bound in the prison.

6Joseph came in to them in the morning, and saw them, and saw that they were sad.

7He asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in custody in his master’s house, saying, “Why do you look so sad today?”

8They said to him, “We have dreamed a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it.” Joseph said to them, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Please tell it to me.”

9The chief cup bearer told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, “In my dream, behold, a vine was in front of me,

10and in the vine were three branches. It was as though it budded, it blossomed, and its clusters produced ripe grapes.

11Pharaoh’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.”

12Joseph said to him, “This is its interpretation: the three branches are three days.

13Within three more days, Pharaoh will lift up your head, and restore you to your office. You will give Pharaoh’s cup into his hand, the way you did when you were his cup bearer.

14But remember me when it will be well with you, and please show kindness to me, and make mention of me to Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house.

15For indeed, I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.”

16When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said to Joseph, “I also was in my dream, and behold, three baskets of white bread were on my head.

17In the uppermost basket there were all kinds of baked food for Pharaoh, and the birds ate them out of the basket on my head.”

18Joseph answered, “This is its interpretation. The three baskets are three days.

19Within three more days, Pharaoh will lift up your head from off you, and will hang you on a tree; and the birds will eat your flesh from off you.”

20On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he made a feast for all his servants, and he lifted up the head of the chief cup bearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants.

21He restored the chief cup bearer to his position again, and he gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand;

22but he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them.

23Yet the chief cup bearer didn’t remember Joseph, but forgot him.

Summary
Authorship & Background
Map & Geography
Commentary
Videos
Articles
Reflection

Summary

While in prison, Joseph is placed in charge of two of Pharaoh's officials, his cupbearer and baker, who have also been imprisoned (vv. 1-4). Both men have troubling dreams on the same night, and Joseph, crediting God with the ability to interpret them, offers to hear them out (vv. 5-8). He interprets the cupbearer's dream to mean he will be restored to his position within three days, and asks him to remember Joseph and mention him to Pharaoh (vv. 9-15). He interprets the baker's dream to mean the baker will be executed within three days (vv. 16-19). Both interpretations come true exactly as Joseph said, but the restored cupbearer forgets him and does not mention him (vv. 20-23).

Authorship & Background

Author: Moses (see Chapter 1 notes for full authorship details).
Historical Context: Chapter 40 records Joseph's time in prison — interpreting dreams for Pharaoh's butler (cupbearer) and baker. This chapter is the bridge between Joseph's suffering (chs.37-39) and his exaltation (ch.41). The dreams demonstrate that God gives Joseph supernatural wisdom — preparing him for the moment when Pharaoh will need a dream interpreter. But the chapter ends with painful words: "yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him" (v.23). Two more years of waiting (41:1).
Classification: Historical Narrative
Key Themes: a butler and a baker imprisoned together and troubled by dreams on the very same night, Joseph crediting God with interpretation before he has even heard what either man dreamed, three branches and three baskets both meaning three days but pointing toward opposite fates, an honest interpretation delivered even when the news is a hanging rather than a restoration, and a request to be remembered met, in the chapter's final line, with being simply forgotten
The Butler and Baker Imprisoned (vv.1-4): Pharaoh's chief butler and chief baker offend the king (v.1). Imprisoned in the same facility as Joseph (v.3). Joseph is assigned to serve them (v.4).
The Dreams (vv.5-8): Both dream on the same night (v.5). Joseph notices their sadness: "Wherefore look ye so sadly to day?" (v.7). They have no interpreter (v.8). Joseph: "Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them" (v.8) — giving God the credit before he even hears the dreams.
The Butler's Dream Interpreted (vv.9-15): A vine with three branches bearing grapes; the butler presses them into Pharaoh's cup (vv.9-11). Joseph: three branches = three days; you'll be restored (vv.12-13). Joseph's request: "Think on me... make mention of me unto Pharaoh" (v.14). "I was stolen away... and here also have I done nothing" (v.15).
The Baker's Dream Interpreted (vv.16-19): Three baskets of bread on his head; birds eat from the top basket (vv.16-17). Joseph: three baskets = three days; you'll be hanged and birds will eat your flesh (vv.18-19). Honest even when the news is bad.
Fulfillment and Forgetfulness (vv.20-23): On Pharaoh's birthday, both dreams come true exactly (vv.20-22). "Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him" (v.23).

Map & Geography

  • Egypt — Joseph remains in the royal prison. The setting is entirely Egyptian, likely near the pharaoh's court (Nile Delta region).
  • The chapter's geography is institutional rather than territorial — the prison is the world Joseph inhabits, yet God is with him even there.

Places on this map

  • EgyptEgyptA ribbon of irrigated land along the Nile, ending in the Delta where Israel settled in Goshen. Rain-fed Canaan depended on weather; Egypt depended on a river that flooded on schedule, which made it the place everyone went when the harvest failed. Wikipedia
  • NileEgyptEgypt's only real water source, flooding every summer and leaving the silt that made the valley farmable. Because the whole country depended on it, turning it to blood was an attack on Egypt's economy and its gods at once. Wikipedia

Towns sit on their excavated or traditional site. Regions, rivers and seas are ringed rather than dotted, because for those a single point is only an anchor. Coastlines from Natural Earth.

Commentary

  • Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com Guzik covers the prison dreams, Joseph's God-centered interpretation, the fulfillment, and the butler's forgetfulness.
  • Jamieson-Fausset-Brown (1871): blueletterbible.org A critical and explanatory commentary on the whole Bible, more concise than Matthew Henry and closer to the Hebrew and Greek, with attention to historical and geographical detail. Public domain.
  • Matthew Henry's Exposition (1710): blueletterbible.org A devotional verse-by-verse commentary in the Puritan tradition, still among the most widely read three centuries on. Public domain.

Videos

Genesis 39-41 | The Rise of Joseph | Bible Study
Spoken Gospel

Life of Joseph: The Meaning of Dreams - Genesis 40:1-23
David Guzik

Joseph Interprets Dreams in Prison – Genesis 40
David Guzik

Articles

  • BibleProject: bibleproject.com On the whole book: how its opening chapters work as literature and how they set up everything that follows.
  • GotQuestions.org: gotquestions.org On the whole book: an overview of the book of Genesis -- who wrote it, when, why, and how it fits the rest of Scripture.

Links open on the publisher's own site. Nothing here is reproduced on this page.

Reflection

  • Serving Even in Suffering (v.4) — Joseph is assigned to attend to two fellow prisoners even while carrying his own unjust confinement. Can you still serve and pay attention to others' needs while you're in a hard season of your own?
  • Noticing Someone Else's Sadness (v.7) — Joseph is observant enough to ask the butler and baker why they look troubled. Are you tuned in enough to the people around you to notice when something is weighing on them?
  • Giving God the Credit First (v.8) — Before he even hears the dreams, Joseph points to God as the source of interpretation rather than claiming the ability for himself. When you have a gift or insight that helps someone, do you point to God or take the credit yourself?
  • Honest Even With Bad News (v.19) — Joseph delivers the baker's grim interpretation as plainly as he delivered the butler's good one. Are you willing to speak truth even when it's unwelcome, rather than softening it into something false?
  • Forgotten by Man, Not by God (v.23) — The butler, restored just as Joseph said, forgets him anyway, leaving Joseph in prison longer. Has someone's broken promise or forgetfulness left you waiting longer than you expected, and can you trust that God hasn't forgotten you the way they did?