Genesis 40

1 And it came to pass after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt and the baker committed an offense, against 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 his two 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 guards, into the prison, the place where Joseph was confined.

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

4 And the captain of the guards 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 his dream in one night, each in accordance with the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined 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 at them, and, behold, they were sad.

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

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

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 none to interpret it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell it to me, 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 The chief of the butlers then 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 on the vine were three branches; and it was as though it budded, shot forth its blossoms, and on its clusters the grapes became ripe:

“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 out into Pharaoh's cup, and I placed 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 its interpretation: The three branches are three days;

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

13 Within yet three days will Pharaoh lift up thy head, and restore thee unto thy office; and thou shalt place 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 Therefore if thou thinkest on me when it shall be well with thee, then show 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 not done the least 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 And when the chief of the bakers saw that he had well interpreted, he said unto Joseph, I also [saw] in my dream, and, behold, I had three baskets with fine 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 And in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of bakemeats, used as food for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat them out of the basket from 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: The three baskets are three days;

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

19 Within yet three days will Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee, and will 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 on 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 of the butlers and the head of the chief of the bakers 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 of the butlers unto his butlership; and he 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 the chief of the bakers he hanged, as Joseph had interpreted to them.

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

23 Yet the chief of the butlers did not remember Joseph, and forgot him.

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