Genesis 40

1 And 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

The commander of the guard assigned Joseph to them as their personal attendant. They were kept in prison for some time.

5 And 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.

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

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

7 And 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?

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

8 And 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.

“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 And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, In my dream, behold, a vine [was] 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 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:

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

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

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

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

13 Yet 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.

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 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:

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 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.

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 good, he said unto Joseph, I also [was] in my dream, and, behold, [I had] three white baskets 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 And 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.

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

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

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

20 And 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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