CHAPTER 40
and imprisoned them
in the house
of the captain
of the guard,
the same prison
where
Joseph
was confined.
The captain
of the guard
assigned
them
to Joseph,
and he became their personal attendant.
After they had been
in custody
for some time,
both
of these men—
the Egyptian
king’s
cupbearer
and baker,
who
were being held
in the prison—
had a dream
on the same
night,
and each dream
had its own meaning.
So he asked
Pharaoh’s
officials
who
were in custody
with him
in his master’s
house,
“Why
are your faces
so downcast
today?”
“We both had dreams,”
they replied,
“but there is no one
to interpret them.”
Then Joseph
said
to them,
“Don’t
interpretations
belong to God?
Tell me your dreams.”
and on the vine
were three
branches.
As it
budded,
its blossoms
opened
and its clusters
ripened
into grapes.
Pharaoh’s
cup
was in my hand,
and I took
the grapes,
squeezed
them into
his
cup,
and placed
the cup
into
his
hand.”
Within
three
days
Pharaoh
will lift up
your head
and restore
your
position.
You will put
Pharaoh’s
cup
into his hand,
just as
you did
when
you were
his cupbearer.
But
when
it goes well
for you,
please
remember
me
and show
me
kindness
by mentioning
me to
Pharaoh,
that he might bring me out
of
this
prison.
For
I was kidnapped
from the land
of the Hebrews,
and even
here
I have done
nothing
for which
they should have put
me
in this dungeon.”
When the chief
baker
saw
that
the interpretation
was favorable,
he said
to
Joseph,
“I
too
had a dream:
There were
three
baskets
of white bread
on
my head.
In the top
basket
were all sorts of
baked
goods
for Pharaoh,
but the birds
were eating
them out of
the basket
on
my head.”
Within
three
days
Pharaoh
will lift
your head
off of you
and hang
you
on
a tree.
Then the birds
will eat
the flesh
of your body.”
On the third
day,
which was Pharaoh’s
birthday,
he held
a feast
for all
his officials,
and in
their presence
he lifted up
the heads
of the chief
cupbearer
and the chief
baker.
Pharaoh restored
the chief
cupbearer
to
his position,
so that he once again placed
the cup
in
Pharaoh’s
hand.