NIV 1984 Edition

40:1 Some time later [an unspecified period of time; likely months but perhaps years], the cupbearer [one of Pharaoh’s highest-ranking officials; tasted wine before Pharaoh to guard against poisoning] and the baker [supervised food preparation for the royal household; held great responsibility to ensure Pharaoh’s food was not poisoned] of the king of Egypt [Pharaoh was considered divine and had absolute authority] offended [the specific offense is not stated] their master, the king of Egypt.

40:2 Pharaoh [the personal name of this Pharaoh is never given] was angry [intense displeasure; his wrath could bring severe consequences] with his two officials [members of Pharaoh’s inner circle], the chief cupbearer [one of Egypt’s most trusted positions] and the chief baker [managed food preparation and ensured its safety],

40:3 and put them in custody [literally, “he placed them under guard”] in the house of [functioned as an official government compound that included prison facilities] the captain of the guard [Potiphar; suggests that Joseph was imprisoned within Potiphar’s jurisdiction], in the same prison [the place where high-ranking officials were kept (a white-collar facility); put Jospeh in contact with the cupbearer and baker] where Joseph was confined [God providentially put Joseph, the cupbearer, and the baker in a place where they could meet].

40:4 The captain of the guard [same title used for Potiphar (Gen. 37:36; 39:1)] assigned [to entrust or place under someone’s care] them to Joseph [placed under his supervision], and he attended [to serve or to care for] them. After they had been in custody for some time [the exact amount of time is unspecified; thus Jospeh served them over an extended period and likely developed friendship and trust with them],

40:5 each of the two men [this is not a coincidence] —the cupbearer and the baker [these are not ordinary prisoners; they served a strategic role in God’s unfolding plan for Joseph] of the king of Egypt [an early king who ruled a nation; God rules history], who were being held in prison [the setting for God’s divine revelation] — had a dream [the vehicle through which God communicated] the same night [divine synchronization], and each dream had a meaning [interpretation] of its own.

40:6 When Joseph came to them [carrying out his daily responsibilities] the next morning [morning often symbolizes a new beginning], he saw [to see, observe, perceive; Joseph noticed that something was wrong] that they were dejected [they were deeply troubled because of their dreams]. 



40:7 So he asked [he did not assume he knew what was troubling them] Pharaoh’s officials [a reminder that these were no ordinary prisoners] who were in custody with him [they had this in common; he understood their hardship] in his master’s house [likely refers to Potiphar’s residence], “Why do you look so sad [troubled, distressed, unhappy] today? [literally: “Why are your faces bad today?”; in Hebrew thought, the face reflects the inner person]”



40:8 “We both had dreams,” [this was not random] they answered, “but there is no one [no one to reveal the meaning of their respective dreams] to interpret [explain or solve] them.” Then Joseph said to them [he points them to God first], “Do not interpretations [God gives dreams and He alone possesses ultimate knowledge about their meaning] belong [interpretations are God’s possession; Joseph was merely the messenger] to God [the general Hebrew word for God rather than the covenant name Yahweh]? Tell me your dreams [he was confident that if God wanted their dreams interpreted, He would provide Joseph with the understanding].”

40:9 So the chief cupbearer [still identified by his office while in prison] told [to recount or to relate carefully] Joseph his dream [the vehicle through which God chose to communicate]. He said to him [in a personal conversation], “In my dream [he tells his dream scene by scene] I saw a vine [the central image of the dream; a vine was a symbol of life, fruitfulness, blessing, joy, prosperity; the appearance of a vine carried special meaning because wine was a part of his vocation] in front of me [the events represented by the vine directly concern the cupbearer’s own future.],

40:10 and on the vine were three [the number three appears repeatedly in this chapter] branches [emphasize vitality and growth; the three branches represent three days (Gen. 40:12)]. As soon as it budded [an indication that the vine is coming to life], it blossomed [the next stage of development after budding], and its clusters ripened [to become mature or reach completion] into grapes [the next stage of development after blossoming].

40:11 Pharaoh’s cup [the defining symbol of the cupbearer’s office] was in my hand [in Scripture the hand represents responsibility, authority, stewardship, ability to act; the cup ins hand signaled that his authority was being restored and points to being reinstated in Pharaoh’s service], and I took [he acted confidently] the grapes [from the vine (verse 10)], squeezed [to press or to extract juice; winemaking process comprised possibly indicating rapid fulfillment] them into Pharaoh’s cup [the intended purpose and place for the wine] and put [to give, place, present] the cup in his hand [the cup began in the servant’s hand and ended up in Pharaoh’s hand; this transfer represents a restoration of trust].”

40:12 “This is what it means [literally, “This is its interpretation.”; thesis not a guess but instead revealing the true meaning of the dream], ” Joseph said to him. “The three branches [the central symbol of the dream] are [does not say they resemble but that they are in fact three days in symbolic form] three days [signals that the fulfillment will occur within three days; God not only reveals what will happen but when it will happen].

40:13 Within three days [a specific and short period of time; a precise prediction] Pharaoh will lift up your head [Hebrew idiom often means to restore dignity, to reinstate, to recognize favor; the head often hangs low in shame] and restore [to return, to bring back, to turn again] you to your position [to his former office; he will resume the same responsibilities he held before imprisonment], and you will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand [will again enjoy intimate access to Pharaoh], just as you used to do [trust, once broken, will be restored; full restoration to his previous responsibilities] when you were his cupbearer [he will regain his identity].

40:14 But when [Joseph spoke with confidence because he believed God had given him the correct interpretation of the dream] all goes well [to flourish or prosper] with you, remember [to call to mind and to act upon remembrance] me and show me kindness [loyal kindness]; mention me to Pharaoh [wanted the cupbearer to bring his case before Pharaoh who alone had the authority to release him] and get me out of [to bring out or to deliver] this prison [literally “from this house”].

40:15 [Joseph shared his personal testimony] I was forcibly [violently] carried off [stolen or kidnapped; he left out the details of how he was betrayed] from the land of the Hebrews [at this point in history, Israel is not yet a nation], and even here [in the land of Egypt] I have done nothing [declared his innocence regarding the accusations against him] to deserve being put [he had committed no crime] in a dungeon [literally “the pit”; Joseph had moved from one pit to another; the pit represented a place of injustice and helplessness; the pit was a place where God forged Joseph for future service].”

40:16 When the chief baker saw [he had observed Joseph’s successful interpretation of the cupbearer’s dream] that Joseph had given a favorable interpretation [Joseph had interpreted correctly and favorably and wanted the same for himself], he said to Joseph [the baker voluntarily shared his dream], “I too had a dream: On my head [ancient Egyptian artwork frequently depicts servants carrying baskets, jars, and trays on their heads] were three baskets of bread [baked goods for Pharaoh].

40:17 In the top basket [baskets were stacked on the baker’s head; top basket was exposed] were all kinds [not just ordinary loaves but special delicacies] of baked goods for Pharaoh [the food belonged to the king], but the birds [function here as agents of loss] were eating them [the baker did not act to protect the bread] out of the basket [the food was lost before it reached Pharaoh; the baker never completed his service] on my head.”

40:18 “This is what it means [Joseph faithfully communicated the interpretation],” Joseph said. “The three baskets [the central symbol of the dream] are three days [timetable was the same as that in the cupbearer’s dream].

40:19 Within three days [identical wording to verse 13] Pharaoh will lift off your head [instead of “lift up” as in the cupbearer’s dream (verse 13)] and impale your body on a pole [literally “He will hang you upon a tree.”; public humiliation; his judgment would be visible to all]. And the birds [the birds in the dream are now interpreted] will eat away your flesh [same action seen in the dream now finds its fulfillment].”

40:20 Now the third day [exactly three days later, God’s Word begins to be fulfilled] was Pharaoh’s birthday [the only explicit reference to Pharaoh’s birthday in Scripture], and he gave a feast [feasts in the Old Testament were often settings where significant events occurred] for all his officials [the royal court]. He lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker [they stood side by side before Pharaoh but had different destinies] in the presence of his officials [witnessed by the royal court]:

40:21 He restored the chief cupbearer to his position [restored to his official function], so that he once again put [the fulfillment of the dream was exact] the cup [the defining symbol of the cupbearer’s office] into Pharaoh’s hand [his relationship with Pharaoh was restored] —

40:22 but [conjunction creates a sharp contrast] he impaled [to hang, suspend, put on public display; likely refers to the public display of the baker’s body after execution rather than the method of execution itself; would serve as a warning to others] the chief baker [never regained his office], just as Joseph had said to them in his interpretation [Joseph explained what God had revealed].

40:23 The chief cupbearer [now restored to his former position while Joseph remained in prison], however [word creates sharp disappointment], did not remember [did not call to mind; did not act upon remembrance] Joseph [became the forgotten man]; he forgot him [whether intentional or accidental, the effect is the same].