Genesis 40

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

Now after these things the chief servant who had the care of the wine, and the chief bread-maker in Pharaoh's house, did something against Pharaoh's orders;

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

And Pharaoh was angry with his two servants, with the chief wine-servant and the chief bread-maker;

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

And he put them in prison under the care of the captain of the army, in the same prison where Joseph himself was shut up.

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

And the captain put them in Joseph's care, and he did what was needed for them; and they were kept in prison for some time.

5 both 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.

And these two had a dream on the same night; the chief wine-servant and the chief bread-maker of the king of Egypt, who were in prison, the two of them had dreams with a special sense.

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

And in the morning when Joseph came to them he saw that they were looking sad.

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

And he said to the servants of Pharaoh who were in prison with him, Why are you looking so sad?

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.”

Then they said to him, We have had a dream, and no one is able to give us the sense. And Joseph said, Does not the sense of dreams come from God? what was your dream?

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

Then the chief wine-servant gave Joseph an account of his dream, and said, In my dream I saw a vine before me;

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

And on the vine were three branches; and it seemed as if it put out buds and flowers, and from them came grapes ready for cutting.

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

And Pharaoh's cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes and crushing them into Pharaoh's cup, gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand.

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

Then Joseph said, This is the sense of your dream: the three branches are three days;

13 Within 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.

After three days Pharaoh will give you honour, and put you back into your place, and you will give him his cup as you did before, when you were his wine-servant.

14 But 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.

But keep me in mind when things go well for you, and be good to me and say a good word for me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison:

15 For 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.”

For truly I was taken by force from the land of the Hebrews; and I have done nothing for which I might be put in prison.

16 When 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.

Now when the chief bread-maker saw that the first dream had a good sense, he said to Joseph, I had a dream; and in my dream there were three baskets of white bread on my head;

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

And in the top basket were all sorts of cooked meats for Pharaoh; and the birds were taking them out of the baskets on my head.

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

Then Joseph said, This is the sense of your dream: the three baskets are three days;

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

After three days Pharaoh will take you out of prison, hanging you on a tree, so that your flesh will be food for birds.

20 On 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.

Now the third day was Pharaoh's birthday, and he gave a feast for all his servants; and he gave honour to the chief wine-servant and the chief bread-maker among the others.

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

And he put the chief wine-servant back in his old place; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand.

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

But the chief bread-maker was put to death by hanging, as Joseph had said.

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

But the wine-servant did not keep Joseph in mind or give a thought to him.