Genesis 40: The prisoners' dreams
In prison Joseph interprets two officials' dreams, crediting God, but the restored cupbearer forgets him.
Where Genesis 40 sits
- In the story
- Act III, Promise: Genesis 12–50; Job
- In the Bible
- Old Testament · The Law · chapter 40 of 50 in Genesis
- In Genesis
- Jacob's line: Joseph and Judah, 37:2–50:26 · part of One family
- Before
- Genesis 39: The LORD was with Joseph
- After
- Genesis 41: From prison to palace
Genesis 40 summary
Some time later Pharaoh's chief cupbearer and chief baker offend him and are put in the prison where Joseph serves them. Both dream on the same night, and Joseph, saying interpretations belong to God, asks to hear them. The cupbearer's vine with three branches means he will be restored in three days, and Joseph asks him to remember him, protesting that he was kidnapped from his land and has done nothing to deserve the dungeon; the baker's three baskets mean he will be hanged in three days. On Pharaoh's birthday both come true, but the cupbearer forgets Joseph.
Genesis 40 in context
- Speaking
- Moses, narrating; the two officials tell their dreams, and Joseph interprets
- Written for
- Israel, learning patience under delay and that God alone reveals what is to come
- Around it
- Joseph in prison (39:20–23); two full years pass before Pharaoh's dreams (41:1)
How Genesis 40 points to Christ
Joseph between two condemned men, one restored and one put to death, gives God the glory; even his forgotten years serve God's timing for saving many (50:20)
The sections of Genesis 40
- Two troubled officials40:1–8
Pharaoh's cupbearer and baker dream in Joseph's prison, and Joseph asks to hear, for interpretations belong to God.
- The vine40:9–15
The cupbearer's vine means he will be restored in three days, and Joseph asks to be remembered to Pharaoh.
- The baskets40:16–19
The baker's three baskets mean that in three days Pharaoh will hang him.
- Forgotten40:20–23
On Pharaoh's birthday both dreams come true as Joseph said, but the cupbearer forgets Joseph.
Read Genesis 40
The Cupbearer and the Baker
1Some time later, the king’s cupbearer and baker offended their master, the king of Egypt. 2Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, 3and imprisoned them in the house of the captain of the guard, the same prison where Joseph was confined. 4The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he became their personal attendant.
After they had been in custody for some time, 5both 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.
6When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were distraught. 7So he asked the officials of Pharaoh who were in custody with him in his master’s house, “Why are your faces so downcast today?”
8“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.”
9So the chief cupbearer told Joseph his dream: “In my dream there was a vine before me, 10and on the vine were three branches. As it budded, its blossoms opened and its clusters ripened into grapes. 11Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes, squeezed them into his cup, and placed the cup in his hand.”
12Joseph replied, “This is the interpretation: The three branches are three days. 13Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore your position. You will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you did when you were his cupbearer. 14But 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. 15For 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.”
16When 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. 17In the top basket were all sorts of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head.”
18Joseph replied, “This is the interpretation: The three baskets are three days. 19Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head and hang you on a tree. Then the birds will eat the flesh of your body.”
20On 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. 21Pharaoh restored the chief cupbearer to his position, so that he once again placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand. 22But Pharaoh hanged the chief baker, just as Joseph had described to them in his interpretation.
23The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot all about him.
Berean Standard Bible, 23 verses. The BSB is in the public domain.
Around Genesis 40
Near it in Jacob's line: Joseph and Judah
- Genesis 37
- Genesis 38
- Genesis 39
- Genesis 41
- Genesis 42
- Genesis 43
- Genesis 44
- Genesis 45
- Genesis 46
- Genesis 47
- Genesis 48
- Genesis 49
Places
- Egypt
Read alongside
- Daniel 2:27–28 There is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries.
- Genesis 41:9 The cupbearer finally remembers.
Doctrines Genesis 40 teaches
- Providence · Genesis 40:8; Genesis 41:1
- God and the Trinity · Genesis 40:8; Daniel 2:28
Questions on Genesis 40
Whom does Joseph credit with the power to interpret dreams?
Show the answer
God. When the officials say no one can interpret their dreams, Joseph answers, “Don’t interpretations belong to God?” and asks to hear them (40:8).
How long is Joseph left in prison after the cupbearer forgets him?
Show the answer
Two full years. Joseph had asked to be remembered (40:14), but the cupbearer forgot him (40:23); only after two full years does Pharaoh dream and the cupbearer recall him (41:1, 9).
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