Genesis 40

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

Later on the cupbearer and the baker committed some offense against their master, the king of Egypt.

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

Pharaoh was angry with these two royal officials—the chief cupbearer and chief baker—

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

and imprisoned them in the house of the commander of the guard, the same prison where Joseph was.

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,

The commander of the guard assigned Joseph to them as their personal attendant. 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.

One night while they were in prison the cupbearer and the baker for the king of Egypt each had a dream. They were different dreams, each with its own meaning.

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

When Joseph arrived the next morning he noticed they both looked depressed.

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?”

So he asked Pharaoh's officials who were imprisoned with him in his master's house, “Why are you looking so depressed?”

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.”

“We've both had dreams but can't find anyone to explain what they mean,” they said. So Joseph told them, “Isn't God the one who can interpret the meaning of dreams? Tell me your dreams.”

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

So the chief cupbearer told Joseph his dream. “In my dream there was a vine right in front of me,” he explained.

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

“The vine had three branches. As soon as it budded, it flowered, and produced clusters of ripe grapes.

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.”

I was holding Pharaoh's wine cup, so I picked the grapes and squeezed them into the cup and gave it to Pharaoh.”

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

“This is the meaning,” Joseph told him. “The three branches represent 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.

In three days' time Pharaoh will take you out of prison and give you back your job, and you will hand Pharaoh his cup as you used to.

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 when things go well for you, please remember me with kindness and speak to Pharaoh on my behalf, and please 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.”

I was cruelly kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and now I'm here in this pit even though I've done nothing wrong.”

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.

When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was positive, he said to Joseph, “I also had a dream. I had three baskets of cakes 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.”

In the top basket were all the cakes and pastries for Pharaoh to eat, and the birds were eating them from the basket on my head.”

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

“This is the meaning,” Joseph told him. “The three baskets represent 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.”

In three days' time Pharaoh will take you out of prison and hang you on a pole, and birds will eat your flesh.”

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.

Three days later it happened to be Pharaoh's birthday, and he arranged a banquet for all his officials. He had the chief cupbearer and the chief baker released from prison and brought there before his officials.

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

He gave the chief cupbearer his job back, and he returned to his duties of handing Pharaoh his cup.

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

But he hanged the chief baker just as Joseph had said when he interpreted their dreams.

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

But the chief cupbearer didn't remember to say anything about Joseph—in fact he forgot all about him.