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Texts -- Genesis 40:1-20 (NET)

Context
The Cupbearer and the Baker
40:1 After these things happened , the cupbearer to the king of Egypt and the royal baker offended their master , the king of Egypt . 40:2 Pharaoh was enraged with his two officials , the cupbearer and the baker , 40:3 so he imprisoned them in the house of the captain of the guard in the same facility where Joseph was confined . 40:4 The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be their attendant, and he served them. They spent some time in custody . 40:5 Both of them , the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt , who were confined in the prison , had a dream the same night . Each man’s dream had its own meaning . 40:6 When Joseph came to them in the morning , he saw that they were looking depressed . 40:7 So he asked Pharaoh’s officials , who were with him in custody in his master’s house , “Why do you look so sad today ?” 40:8 They told him, “We both had dreams , but there is no one to interpret them.” Joseph responded , “Don’t interpretations belong to God ? Tell them to me.” 40:9 So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph : “In my dream , there was a vine in front of me. 40:10 On the vine there were three branches . As it budded , its blossoms opened and its clusters ripened into grapes . 40:11 Now Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand , so I took the grapes , squeezed them into his cup , and put the cup in Pharaoh’s hand .” 40:12 “This is its meaning ,” Joseph said to him. “The three branches represent three days . 40:13 In three more days Pharaoh will reinstate you and restore you to your office . You will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand , just as you did before when you were cupbearer . 40:14 But remember me when it goes well for you, and show me kindness . Make mention of me to Pharaoh and bring me out of this prison , 40:15 for I really was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews and I have done nothing wrong here for which they should put me in a dungeon .” 40:16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation of the first dream was favorable , he said to Joseph , “I also appeared in my dream and there were three baskets of white bread on my head . 40:17 In the top basket there were baked goods of every kind for Pharaoh , but the birds were eating them from the basket that was on my head .” 40:18 Joseph replied , “This is its meaning : The three baskets represent three days . 40:19 In three more days Pharaoh will decapitate you and impale you on a pole . Then the birds will eat your flesh from you.” 40:20 On the third day it was Pharaoh’s birthday , so he gave a feast for all his servants . He “lifted up” the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker in the midst of his servants .

Pericope

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Bible Dictionary

  • Butler

    [ebd] properly a servant in charge of the wine (Gen. 40:1-13; 41:9). The Hebrew word, mashkeh, thus translated is rendered also (plural) "cup-bearers" (1 Kings 10:5; 2 Chr. 9:4). Nehemiah (1:11) was cup-bearer to king Artaxerxes. ...
    [isbe] BUTLER - but'-ler: An officer in households of kings, or other dignitaries, having charge of wines and other potables. mashqeh, "one who gives drink" (Gen 40:1-23; 41:9), rendered "cupbearer" in 1 Ki 10:5; 2 Ch 9:4; Neh 1:11...
    [smith] One of the officers of the king?s household, (Nehemiah 1:11) who had charge of the wine and poured it out for the king. The chief butler, as the title signifies, was in charge of the butlers. (Genesis 40:1-13)
    [nave] BUTLER Pharaoh's, imprisoned and released, Gen. 40; 1 Kin. 10:5; 2 Chr. 9:4; Neh. 1:11; 2:1.

  • Joseph

    [ebd] remover or increaser. (1.) The elder of the two sons of Jacob by Rachel (Gen. 30:23, 24), who, on the occasion of his birth, said, "God hath taken away [Heb. 'asaph] my reproach." "The Lord shall add [Heb. yoseph] to me anot...
    [nave] JOSEPH 1. Son of Jacob, Gen. 30:24. Personal appearance of, Gen. 39:6. His father's favorite child, Gen. 33:2; 37:3, 4, 35; 48:22; 1 Chr. 5:2; John 4:5. His father's partiality for, excites the jealousy of his brethren, G...

  • Fortune

    [nave] FORTUNE, changes of. See illustrated in lives of Joseph, from slave to prime minister: Pharaoh's butler and baker, Gen. 40; David, from shepherd boy to king, noting the vicissitudes. See also Jeroboam; Haman; Mordecai; Esther...

  • GENESIS, 1-2

    [isbe] GENESIS, 1-2 - jen'-e-sis: I. GENERAL DATA 1. The Name 2. Survey of Contents 3. Connection with Succeeding Books II. COMPOSITION OF GENESIS IN GENERAL 1. Unity of the Biblical Text (1) The Toledhoth (2) Further Indication of...

  • REVELATION, 1-2

    [isbe] REVELATION, 1-2 - rev-e-la'-shun: I. THE NATURE OF REVELATION 1. The Religion of the Bible the Only Supernatural Religion 2. General and Special Revelation (1) Revelation in Eden (2) Revelation among the Heathen II. THE PROC...

  • Cup-bearer

    [ebd] an officer of high rank with Egyptian, Persian, Assyrian, and Jewish monarchs. The cup-bearer of the king of Egypt is mentioned in connection with Joseph's history (Gen. 40:1-21; 41:9). Rabshakeh (q.v.) was cup-bearer in the...

  • JOSEPH (2)

    [isbe] JOSEPH (2) - jo'-zef (yoceph, "He will add"; Septuagint Ioseph). The narrative (Gen 30:23,14) indicates not so much a double etymology as the course of Rachel's thoughts. The use of 'acaph, "He takes away," suggested to her ...

  • Baker

    [nave] BAKER, 1 Sam. 8:13; Jer. 37:21; Hos. 7:4, 6. Pharaoh's chief baker, Gen. 40. See: Bread.

  • Prisoners

    [nave] PRISONERS Joseph, Gen. 39:20-23; 40; 41:1-44. Jeremiah, Jer. 38:6-28; 39:14. John the Baptist, Matt. 11:2; 14:3-12; Mark 6:17; Luke 3:20. Jesus, Matt. 26:47-75; 27; Mark 14:43-72; 15; Luke 22:47-71; 23; John 18:3-40; 19. ...

  • Punishment

    [nave] PUNISHMENT. Death Penalty Shall not be remitted, Num. 35:31. In the Mosaic law the death penalty was inflicted for murder, Gen. 9:5, 6; Num. 35:16-21, 30-33; Deut. 17:6; adultery, Lev. 20:10; Deut. 22:24; incest, Lev. 20:...

  • Dream

    [ebd] God has frequently made use of dreams in communicating his will to men. The most remarkable instances of this are recorded in the history of Jacob (Gen. 28:12; 31:10), Laban (31:24), Joseph (37:9-11), Gideon (Judg. 7), and S...
    [nave] DREAM Evanescent, Job 20:8. Vanity of, Eccl. 5:3, 7. Revelations by, Num. 12:6; Job 33:15-17; Jer. 23:28; Joel 2:28; Acts 2:17. The dreams of the butler and baker, Gen. 40:8-23; Pharaoh, Gen. 41:1-36. Interpreted by Jose...

  • Basket

    [ebd] There are five different Hebrew words so rendered in the Authorized Version: (1.) A basket (Heb. sal, a twig or osier) for holding bread (Gen. 40:16; Ex. 29:3, 23; Lev. 8:2, 26, 31; Num. 6:15, 17, 19). Sometimes baskets were...
    [isbe] BASKET - bas'-ket: Four kinds of "baskets" come to view in the Old Testament under the Hebrew names, dudh, Tene', cal and kelubh. There is little, however, in these names, or in the narratives where they are found, to indica...
    [smith] The Hebrew terms used in the description of this article are as follows: (1) Sal , so called from the twigs of which it was originally made, specially used for holding bread. (Genesis 40:16) ff. (Exodus 29:3,23; Leviticus 8:2...
    [nave] BASKET, Gen. 40:16, 17; Ex. 29:3, 23, 32; Lev. 8:2; Num. 6:15; Deut. 26:2; 28:5, 17; 2 Kin. 10:7. Received the fragments after the miracles of the loaves, Matt. 14:20; 15:37; 16:9, 10. Paul let down from the wall in, Acts...

  • VINE

    [isbe] VINE - vin: 1. Hebrew Words: (1) gephen, usually the cultivated grape vine. In Nu 6:4; Jdg 13:14 we have gephen ha-yayin, literally, "vine of wine," translated "grape vine" (Numbers) and "vine," margin "grape vine" (Jgs); 2 ...
    [smith] the well-known valuable plant (vitis vinifera) very frequently referred to in the Old and New Testaments, and cultivated from the earliest times. The first mention of this plant occurs in (Genesis 9:20,21) That it was abundan...

  • Cupbearer

    [isbe] CUPBEARER - kup'-bar-er (mashqeh, "one giving drink"; oinochoos): An officer of high rank at ancient oriental courts, whose duty it was to serve the wine at the king's table. On account of the constant fear of plots and intr...
    [smith] an officer of high rank with Egyptian, Persian and Assyrian as well as Jewish monarchs. (1 Kings 10:5) It was his duty to fill the king?s cup and present it to him personally. (Nehemiah 1:11) The chief cupbearer, or butler...
    [nave] CUPBEARER, Gen. 40:1, 11; 1 Kin. 10:5; 2 Chr. 9:4; Neh. 1:11.

  • WARD

    [ebd] a prison (Gen. 40:3, 4); a watch-station (Isa. 21:8); a guard (Neh. 13:30).
    [isbe] WARD - word: "Ward" and "guard" are two different spellings of the same word, and in consequence no clear line can be drawn between them. English Versions of the Bible, however, has used "guard" only in the sense of "a speci...

  • Birthday

    [isbe] BIRTHDAY - burth'-da: (1) The custom of observing birthdays of great men, especially of kings, was widespread in ancient times (see Gen 40:20 f, "the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday," etc.; compare 2 Macc 6:7; and He...
    [smith] The custom of observing birthdays is very ancient, (Genesis 40:20; Jeremiah 20:15) and in (Job 1:4) etc., we read that Job?s sons "feasted every one his day." In Persia birthdays were celebrated with peculiar honors and banqu...
    [nave] BIRTHDAY Celebrated by feasts, Gen. 40:20; Matt. 14:6. Cursed, Job 3; Jer. 20:14, 18.

  • LIFT

    [isbe] LIFT - To make lofty, to raise up. A very common word in English Versions of the Bible representing a great variety of Hebrew and Greek words, although in the Old Testament used chiefly as the translation of nasa'. Of none o...

  • NUMBER

    [isbe] NUMBER - num'-ber: I. NUMBER AND ARITHMETIC II. NOTATION OF NUMBERS 1. By Words 2. By Signs 3. By Letters III. NUMBERS IN OLD TESTAMENT HISTORY IV. ROUND NUMBERS V. SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS 1. Seven and Its Multiples (1) Ritual U...

  • CAPTAIN

    [ebd] (1.) Heb. sar (1 Sam. 22:2; 2 Sam. 23:19). Rendered "chief," Gen. 40:2; 41:9; rendered also "prince," Dan. 1:7; "ruler," Judg. 9:30; "governor,' 1 Kings 22:26. This same Hebrew word denotes a military captain (Ex. 18:21; 2 K...
    [isbe] CAPTAIN - kap'-tin: In the King James Version there are no fewer than 13 Hebrew words, and 4 different Greek words, which are rendered by this one English word. In the Revised Version (British and American) some of these are...

  • Behead

    [ebd] a method of taking away life practised among the Egyptians (Gen. 40:17-19). There are instances of this mode of punishment also among the Hebrews (2 Sam. 4:8; 20:21,22; 2 Kings 10:6-8). It is also mentioned in the New Testam...
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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • The events recorded in Genesis stretch historically from Creation to Joseph's death, a period of at least 2500 years. The first part of the book (ch. 1-11) is not as easy to date precisely as the second part (ch. 12-50). The ...
  • Genesis provides the historical basis for the rest of the Bible and the Pentateuch, particularly the Abrahamic Covenant. Chapters 1-11 give historical background essential to understanding that covenant, and chapters 12-50 re...
  • The structure of Genesis is very clear. The phrase "the generations of"(toledotin Hebrew, from yaladmeaning "to bear, to generate") occurs ten times (really eleven times since 36:9 repeats 36:1), and in each case it introduce...
  • The Lord destroyed the corrupt, violent human race and deluged its world, but He used righteous Noah to preserve life and establish a new world after the Flood."Noah's experience presents decisively the author's assertion tha...
  • "The Babel account (11:1-9) is not the end of early Genesis. If it were, the story would conclude on the sad note of human failure. But as with earlier events in Genesis 1-11, God's grace once again supersedes human sin, insu...
  • One of the significant changes in the emphasis that occurs at this point in Genesis is from cursing in the primeval record to blessing in the patriarchal narratives. The Abrahamic Covenant is most important in this respect. H...
  • A major theme of the Pentateuch is the partial fulfillment of the promises to the patriarchs. The promises in Genesis 12:1-3 and 7 are the fountainhead from which the rest of the Pentateuch flows.397Walter Kaiser labeled the ...
  • "These verses are of fundamental importance for the theology of Genesis, for they serve to bind together the primeval history and the later patriarchal history and look beyond it to the subsequent history of the nation."414"W...
  • The second crisis Abram faced arose because of a famine in Canaan. Abram chose to sojourn in the Nile Valley until it was past. In this incident Abram tried to pass Sarai off as his sister because he feared for his life. By d...
  • Abram asked God to strengthen his faith. In response Yahweh promised to give the patriarch innumerable descendants. This led Abram to request some further assurance that God would indeed do what He promised. God graciously ob...
  • Abraham's purchase of a burial site in the Promised Land demonstrated his intention to remain in Canaan rather than going back to his native homeland. Since he was a sojourner in Canaan his friends probably expected him to bu...
  • A new toledotbegins with 25:19. Its theme is "the acquisition of the blessing and its development and protection by the Lord."625Moses set up the whole Jacob narrative in a chiastic structure that emphasizes the fulfillment o...
  • When Pharaoh's cupbearer and baker had disturbing dreams in prison, Joseph foretold the cupbearer's restoration and the baker's execution, but Joseph remained in prison because the cupbearer forgot him.The cupbearer and baker...
  • Jacob blessed all 12 of his sons and foretold what would become of each of them and their descendants. He disqualified Reuben, Simeon, and Levi from leadership and gave that blessing to Judah. He granted the double portion to...
  • Aalders, Gerhard Charles. Genesis. The Bible Student's Commentary series. 2 vols. Translated by William Heynen. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981.Aharoni, Yohanan, and Michael Avi-Yonah. The Macmillan Bible Atlas...
  • The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.3David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11...
  • Abigail's approach to David was a model of tact and courage. Visualize this solitary woman riding a donkey approaching 400 armed men who were riding horses and were bent on slaughtering her household. It took immense courage ...
  • Here we have another remarkable example of how God controls the hearts of kings (v. 2; Prov. 21:1; cf. Gen. 39-41; Ezra 1:1-4; Neh. 2; Dan. 2; 3; 4; 5; Acts 2:23). "To half of the kingdom"(v. 3) is hyperbole and means, "I wil...
  • 3:3 David believed God had not abandoned him but viewed Him as his real source of protection, his "shield."This figure is common in the psalms (cf. 7:10; 18:2, 30; 28:7; 33:20; 59:11; 84:11; 115:9-11; 119:114; 144:2). "My glo...
  • 105:7-11 God remembered His people (v. 7, cf. v. 42) so His people should remember Him (v. 5). God had been faithful to the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen. 12:1-3, 7; 15:18-21; 22:15-18; 28:13-15). He made this covenant with Abraham...
  • 2:4 The Chaldeans took the lead in replying to the king. They responded in the Aramaic language that was widely used in business and in government throughout the empire. This reference to Aramaic introduces the section of the...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

  • Genesis 39:20-23, Genesis 40:1-15.Potiphar was captain of the guard,' or, as the title literally runs, chief of the executioners. In that capacity he had charge of the prison, which was connected with his house (Gen. 40:3). I...
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