1
After these things it came to pass that the cupbearer of the king of Egypt and his baker offended their lord, the king of Egypt.
2
And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker.
3
He put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison where Joseph was confined.
4
The captain of the guard assigned Joseph to be with them, to attend to them. So they remained in custody for some time.
5
One night both of them dreamed, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison; each man had his dream, and each dream had its own meaning.
6
When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were troubled.
7
So he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in custody in his master’s house, “Why are your faces sad today?”
8
They said to him, “We have dreamed a dream, and there is no one to interpret it.” Then Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell me your dreams.”
9
So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, “In my dream, there was a vine before me.
10
And in the vine were three branches; as soon as it budded, its blossoms came out, and its clusters ripened into grapes.
11
Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand; so I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and I placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.”
12
Then Joseph said to him, “This is its interpretation: the three branches are three days;
13
within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office, and you will place Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, as formerly, when you were his cupbearer.
14
But remember me when it is well with you, and please show kindness to me by mentioning me to Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house.
15
For I was indeed stolen away from the land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.”
16
When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said to Joseph, “I also was in my dream, and there were three baskets of baked goods on my head.
17
In the top basket there were all kinds of food for Pharaoh, the work of a baker; but the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head.”
18
Joseph answered, “This is the meaning of the dream: the three baskets are three days;
19
within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and hang you on a pole, and the birds will eat your flesh from you.”
20
And it came to pass on the third day, Pharaoh’s birthday, that Pharaoh made a feast for all his servants. He lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants:
21
the chief cupbearer he restored to his office, so that he again put the cup into Pharaoh’s hand;
22
but the chief baker he hanged, as Joseph had interpreted to them.
23
Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.
🌙🔍 Summary of Genesis 40
This chapter tells of Joseph in prison, as he interprets the dreams of Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker. Though Joseph helped them, he was still forgotten, showing that God’s plan had not yet been fully fulfilled, yet His presence remained real.
1. The Cupbearer and Baker Are Put in Prison (verses 1–4)
- Two of Pharaoh’s officials, the cupbearer and the baker, were put in the prison where Joseph was held.
- Joseph was assigned to serve them.
2. Their Dreams and Joseph’s Interpretation (verses 5–19)
- Both dreamed in the same night, and Joseph offered help, saying:
“Is it not God who has the right to interpret dreams?”
- The cupbearer’s dream: three branches of grapes pressed into the king’s cup → interpreted to mean that in 3 days, he would be restored to his position.
- The baker’s dream: three baskets of bread eaten by birds from his head → interpreted to mean that in 3 days, he would be put to death.
3. The Interpretation Proved True, But Joseph Was Forgotten (verses 20–23)
- On Pharaoh’s birthday, Joseph’s interpretation came true.
- Joseph asked the cupbearer to remember him to Pharaoh, but:
“But the cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.”
📖 Main Lesson
- The Lord remained with Joseph even in prison, giving him wisdom and the power to interpret dreams.
- Joseph’s ability was used to help others, even though it had not yet brought him personal benefit.
- Faithfulness in service is sometimes not immediately rewarded by people, but God does not forget.
- God’s timing is not always the same as ours.
- Dreams and their revelation come from God, not from man.
✨ Spiritual Meaning
- Joseph becomes an example of faithful service even while in distress.
- Sometimes we have already done what is right, yet have not received relief — Joseph experienced that too.
- The interpretation of dreams shows that God controls the future, even a great king like Pharaoh is not beyond His control.
- Joseph kept hoping, though abandoned by people — this shows faith that does not depend on immediate repayment.
