Genesis 40

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.

1Some time later, two men made the king of Egypt angry. One brought the king his wine. The other baked his bread.

NoteThe King James Bible says "butler." That does not mean a house servant. It means a cupbearer, the man who brought the king his wine.

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

2Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, was angry with these two servants. They were his chief cupbearer and his chief baker.

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

3He locked them up in the prison at the house of the captain of the guard. Joseph was being held there too.

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

4The captain of the guard put Joseph in charge of the two men. Joseph took care of them. They stayed in prison for a while.

5And 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.

5One night both men had a dream. Each man had his own dream, and each dream had its own meaning. Both men were still in the prison.

6And Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and looked upon them, and, behold, they were sad.

6In the morning Joseph came in to them. He looked at them and saw that they were sad.

7And 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?

7So he asked Pharaoh's two servants, who were locked up with him, "Why do you look so sad today?"

8And 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.

8They said, "We each had a dream. There is no one here to tell us what it means." Joseph said, "God is the one who knows what dreams mean. Please tell me your dreams."

9And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, In my dream, behold, a vine was before me;

9So the chief cupbearer told Joseph his dream. He said, "In my dream I saw a grapevine in front of me."

10And 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:

10"The vine had three branches. It grew buds. Then the flowers opened. Then bunches of ripe grapes grew on it."

11And 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.

11"I was holding Pharaoh's cup. I took the grapes and squeezed them into the cup. Then I put the cup in Pharaoh's hand."

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

12Joseph said to him, "Here is what your dream means. The three branches are three days."

13Yet 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.

13"In three days Pharaoh will send for you. He will give you your old job back. You will hand him his cup, just like you used to do."

NoteThe old wording says Pharaoh will "lift up thine head." That was a way of saying he would call the man out and give him back his place. In verse 19 the same words are used, but they mean something much worse.

14But 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:

14"But please remember me when things are going well for you. Be kind to me. Tell Pharaoh about me, and ask him to get me out of this place."

15For 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.

15"I was stolen away from the land of the Hebrews, where my family lives. And here I have done nothing wrong. I should not be in this prison."

16When 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:

16The chief baker heard that the first dream meant something good. So he said to Joseph, "I had a dream too. I had three baskets of white bread on my head."

17And 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.

17"The top basket held all kinds of baked food for Pharaoh. But birds were eating it out of the basket on my head."

NoteThe old wording says "bakemeats." That does not mean meat. It means all sorts of breads and cakes from the oven.

18And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation thereof: The three baskets are three days:

18Joseph answered, "Here is what your dream means. The three baskets are three days."

19Yet 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.

19"In three days Pharaoh will cut off your head. He will hang your body on a tree. Birds will eat your flesh."

20And 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.

20Three days later it was Pharaoh's birthday. He made a big meal for all his servants. In front of them, he sent for the chief cupbearer and the chief baker.

21And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand:

21He gave the chief cupbearer his old job back. Once again the man handed Pharaoh his cup.

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

22But he had the chief baker hanged. It happened just as Joseph had said it would.

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

23Still, the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph. He forgot all about him.