Introduction
In this chapter, we find that whilst in prison, Joseph meets the chief cupbearer and chief baker, and he looks after them. They were troubled by the dreams they had and so, Joseph interprets their dreams for them. It’s quite clear that God is working through Joseph as he correctly interprets their dreams.
THE CUPBEARER AND THE BAKER
‘Some time later, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt offended their master, the king of Egypt. Pharaoh was angry with his two officials, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, and put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the same prison where Joseph was confined. The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he attended them.’ Genesis 40:1-4
We don’t know what the chief cupbearer and the chief baker did to offend Pharaoh, Genesis 40:1, and we don’t know that they did to promote Pharaoh’s anger, Genesis 40:2, but they now find themselves in prison, Genesis 40:3, where Joseph is assigned to take care of their needs, Genesis 40:4.
Friedman, in his Jewish writings, says the following.
‘The chief baker was put into prison because a pebble had been found in the pastry he baked for Pharaoh, and he was guilty of a misdemeanour because he had neglected the sifting of the flour. A fly had happened to fall into the wine that the chief butler poured for Pharaoh, but that could not be construed as caused by any negligence on his part. Thus, the butler had not committed a punishable offense.’
The chief cupbearer was an officer of high rank with Egyptian, Persian and Assyrian as well as Jewish royals, 1 Kings 10:5 / 2 Kings 18:17, and it was his duty to fill the king’s cup and present it to him personally, Nehemiah 1:11. The chief baker was also an officer of high rank, and it was his duty to bake the food and personally present it to Pharaoh.
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Butler in this narrative means the chief of the butlers, the same being called also ‘an officer.’ Note also that three different terms are used for the ruler of Egypt. He is called ‘King of Egypt,’ ‘Pharaoh,’ and ‘their lord.’
THE CUPBEARER AND BAKER HAVE DREAMS
‘After they had been in custody for some time, each of the two men—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were being held in prison—had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own. When Joseph came to them the next morning, he saw that they were dejected. So, he asked Pharaoh’s officials who were in custody with him in his master’s house, ‘Why do you look so sad today?’ ‘We both had dreams,’ they answered, ‘but there is no one to interpret them.’ Then Joseph said to them, ‘Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams.’ Genesis 40:4-8
After the cupbearer and the baker had been in custody for some time, Genesis 40:4, the two of them had separate dreams on the same night, each with its own meaning, Genesis 40:5. The next morning Joseph sees that they are dejected, Genesis 40:6, and so he asks them why they were so unhappy, Genesis 40:7. It’s clear that being unhappy wasn’t the normal for these men, hence why Joseph something different about their personality.
Notice that no one could interpret their dreams, Genesis 40:8, that’s possibly because there was no one in prison with them who could interpret them.
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following.
‘It’s important to note that the Egyptians believed in the prophetic nature of dreams, this is possibly why God used dreams time and time again when He was dealing with them.’
Joseph is quick to explain to them that no one can really interpret dreams anyway except God Himself, but he also knows that God can use him to interpret their dreams for them, Genesis 40:8.
THE CUPBEARER’S DREAM
‘So, the chief cupbearer told Joseph his dream. He said to him, ‘In my dream I saw a vine in front of me, and on the vine were three branches. As soon as it budded, it blossomed, and its clusters ripened into grapes. Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes, squeezed them into Pharaoh’s cup and put the cup in his hand.’ ‘This is what it means,’ Joseph said to him. ‘The three branches are three days. Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your position, and you will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you used to do when you were his cupbearer.’ Genesis 40:9-13
In the cupbearer’s dream, he saw a vine with three branches, Genesis 40:9-10, these three branches represent three days, Genesis 40:12. As soon as it budded, it blossomed, and its clusters ripened into grapes, Genesis 40:10. Pharaoh’s cup was in his hand, and he takes the grapes, squeezed them into Pharaoh’s cup and put the cup in his hand, Genesis 40:11.
Dummelow, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Among the inscriptions on the temple of Edfu is one in which the king is seen with a cup in his hand, and underneath are the words, “They press grapes into the water, and the king drinks.’
Joseph tells him the three branches are three days, Genesis 40:12 / Genesis 40:9-10. It appears that the cupbearer was innocent of his crime because Joseph tells him he will be restored back to normal duties within three days as the Pharaoh’s cupbearer, Genesis 40:13. Notice that Pharaoh will ‘lift up his head’, Genesis 40:13, as opposed to the baker, where Pharaoh will ‘lift off his head’, Genesis 40:19.
‘But when all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison. I was forcibly carried off from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing to deserve being put in a dungeon.’ Genesis 40:14-15
Joseph, after favourably interpreting the cupbearer’s dream, asks him to remember him, and show him kindness, Genesis 40:14. Sadly, we know how the story goes, he actually forgets about him, Genesis 40:23, but remembers him at a much later date, two years later, Genesis 41:1 / Genesis 41:9-13. He asks him to mention Joseph to Pharaoh so that he can get out of prison.
Joseph explains his innocence by telling him about how he ended up in Egypt in the first place, Genesis 40:15 / Genesis 37:28, and how he ended up in this dungeon because Potiphar’s wife had lied through her teeth about him, Genesis 39:11-20.
THE CHIEF BAKER’S DREAM
‘When the chief baker saw that Joseph had given a favourable interpretation, he said to Joseph, ‘I too had a dream: On my head were three baskets of bread. In the top basket were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head.’ ‘This is what it means,’ Joseph said. ‘The three baskets are three days. Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head and impale your body on a pole. And the birds will eat away your flesh.’ Genesis 40:16-19
The baker dreamt he had three baskets on his head, Genesis 40:16, the three baskets represent three days, Genesis 40:18. In the top basket were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them out of the basket on his head, Genesis 40:17. Joseph tells him the three baskets are three days, Genesis 40:18 / Genesis 40:16.
Unlike the cupbearer who was innocent of his crimes, the baker appears to be guilty of his crimes because Joseph tells him that he won’t be restored but Pharaoh will cut off his head within three days, Genesis 40:19. Notice that Pharaoh will ‘lift off his head’, Genesis 40:19, as opposed to the cupbearer, where Pharaoh will ‘lift up his head’, Genesis 40:13.
We don’t know exactly how he was to die. Some suggest that he was hanged, others suggest that he was beheaded first and then impaled upon a pole, and others suggest he was impaled and then beheaded and then his body would be eaten by the birds.
JOSEPH’S INTERPRETATIONS COME TRUE
‘Now the third day was Pharaoh’s birthday, and he gave a feast for all his officials. He lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker in the presence of his officials: He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, so that he once again put the cup into Pharaoh’s hand—but he impaled the chief baker, just as Joseph had said to them in his interpretation. The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.’ Genesis 40:20-23
In ancient Egypt, the birthdays of the Pharaohs were considered as ‘holy’ days, with no work being done. On the third day was Pharaoh’s birthday and he hosts a feast for his officials, Genesis 40:20.
We can only imagine what’s going through the minds of the cupbearer and the baker, and Pharoah lifts up their heads, Genesis 40:20. I’m sure one was hoping that Joseph’s interpretation of their dream would be accurate, whilst the other was hoping that Joseph got it wrong. Because God was working in and through Joseph, his interpretations of their dreams were accurate, Genesis 40:21-22.
Wenham, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The baker would not simply suffer execution, but his corpse would then be impaled and publicly exposed. The Egyptians did this to prevent one’s spirit from resting in the afterlife.’
Sadly, the cupbearer forgot about Joseph and his request, Genesis 40:23 / Genesis 40:14-15. We can only imagine what was going through Joseph’s mind, as once again, he’s let down by those around him, whom he thought were friends, Psalm 105:18.
CONCLUSION
We must remember that Joseph doesn’t know the end of the story. I’m sure that Joseph knew that these dreams were actually coming from God and I’m sure he knew that God was actually interpreting them for him, in order that He may eventually be realised from prison and be seated next to Pharaoh.
We also must remember, when Joseph had his first two dreams, he told his brothers that they would bow down to him at some point, Genesis 37:5-9.
The bigger picture is that God was working in and through Joseph to eventually place him in a position of high ranking in Egypt so that God could bring the household of Jacob into Egypt. It was God’s plan that they stay there for four hundred years and then be led to the Promised Land in order for them to become a nation and eventually bring about the Messiah.