Genesis 40

1 After these things, the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker 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 Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cup bearer and the chief baker.

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

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

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

5 They 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.

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

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

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

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

8 They 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.”

“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 cup bearer told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, “In my dream, behold, a vine was in front of 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. It was as though it budded, it blossomed, and its clusters produced ripe 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, 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 Joseph said to 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 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.

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 remember me when it is well with you. Please show kindness to me, and make mention of me to 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 I have 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 to Joseph, “I also was in my dream, and behold, three baskets of white bread were 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 uppermost basket there were all kinds of baked food for Pharaoh, and the birds ate 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 answered, “This is its interpretation. The three baskets are three days.

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

19 Within 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.”

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 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.

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 He restored the chief cup bearer to his position 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 the chief cup bearer didn’t remember Joseph, but forgot him.

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