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Genesis 40
New International Version

### The Cupbearer and the Baker

40 Some time later, the cupbearer(A) and the baker(B) of the king of Egypt offended their master, the king of Egypt. 2 Pharaoh was angry(C) with his two officials,(D) the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, 3 and put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard,(E) in the same prison where Joseph was confined. 4 The captain of the guard(F) assigned them to Joseph,(G) and he attended them.

After they had been in custody(H) for some time, 5 each of the two men—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were being held in prison—had a dream(I) the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own.(J)

6 When Joseph came to them the next morning, he saw that they were dejected. 7 So he asked Pharaoh’s officials who were in custody(K) with him in his master’s house, “Why do you look so sad today?”(L)

8 “We both had dreams,” they answered, “but there is no one to interpret them.”(M)

Then Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God?(N) Tell me your dreams.”

9 So the chief cupbearer(O) told Joseph his dream. He said to him, “In my dream I saw a vine in front of me, 10 and on the vine were three branches. As soon as it budded, it blossomed,(P) and its clusters ripened into grapes. 11 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.”

12 “This is what it means,(Q)” Joseph said to him. “The three branches are three days.(R) 13 Within three days(S) Pharaoh will lift up your head(T) 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.(U) 14 But when all goes well with you, remember me(V) and show me kindness;(W) mention me to Pharaoh(X) and get me out of this prison. 15 I was forcibly carried off from the land of the Hebrews,(Y) and even here I have done nothing to deserve being put in a dungeon.”(Z)

16 When the chief baker(AA) saw that Joseph had given a favorable interpretation,(AB) he said to Joseph, “I too had a dream: On my head were three baskets(AC) of bread.[a] 17 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.”

18 “This is what it means,” Joseph said. “The three baskets are three days.(AD) 19 Within three days(AE) Pharaoh will lift off your head(AF) and impale your body on a pole.(AG) And the birds will eat away your flesh.”(AH)

20 Now the third day(AI) was Pharaoh’s birthday,(AJ) and he gave a feast for all his officials.(AK) He lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker(AL) in the presence of his officials: 21 He restored the chief cupbearer(AM) to his position,(AN) so that he once again put the cup into Pharaoh’s hand(AO)— 22 but he impaled the chief baker,(AP) just as Joseph had said to them in his interpretation.(AQ)

23 The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.(AR)

#### Footnotes

1. Genesis 40:16 Or three wicker baskets

#### Cross references

1. Genesis 40:1 : ver 9, 13, 21; Ne 1:11
2. Genesis 40:1 : ver 16, 20
3. Genesis 40:2 : Pr 16:14, 15; 19:12
4. Genesis 40:2 : Ge 41:10; Est 2:21
5. Genesis 40:3 : S Ge 37:36; S 39:20
6. Genesis 40:4 : S Ge 37:36
7. Genesis 40:4 : S Ge 39:4
8. Genesis 40:4 : ver 7; Ge 42:17
9. Genesis 40:5 : S Ge 20:3
10. Genesis 40:5 : Ge 41:11
11. Genesis 40:7 : S ver 4
12. Genesis 40:7 : Ne 2:2
13. Genesis 40:8 : Ge 41:8, 15
14. Genesis 40:8 : Ge 41:16, 25, 28, 32; Dt 29:29; Da 2:22, 28, 47
15. Genesis 40:9 : S ver 1
16. Genesis 40:10 : Isa 27:6; 35:1-2; Hos 14:7
17. Genesis 40:12 : ver 16; Ge 41:12, 15, 25; Da 2:36; 4:19
18. Genesis 40:12 : ver 18
19. Genesis 40:13 : ver 19, 20; Jos 1:11; 3:2; Ezr 8:32; Ne 2:11
20. Genesis 40:13 : ver 19
21. Genesis 40:13 : S ver 1
22. Genesis 40:14 : 1Sa 25:31; Lk 23:42
23. Genesis 40:14 : S Ge 19:19; 1Sa 20:14, 42; 2Sa 9:1; 1Ki 2:7
24. Genesis 40:14 : ver 23; Ge 41:9; Ecc 9:15
25. Genesis 40:15 : S Ge 14:13
26. Genesis 40:15 : Ge 39:20; Job 13:27
27. Genesis 40:16 : S ver 1
28. Genesis 40:16 : S ver 12
29. Genesis 40:16 : Am 8:1-2
30. Genesis 40:18 : ver 12
31. Genesis 40:19 : ver 13
32. Genesis 40:19 : S ver 13
33. Genesis 40:19 : ver 22; Dt 21:22-23; Est 2:23; 7:10
34. Genesis 40:19 : Dt 28:26; 1Sa 17:44; 2Sa 21:10; 1Ki 14:11; 16:4; 21:24; Eze 39:4
35. Genesis 40:20 : S ver 13
36. Genesis 40:20 : Mt 14:6-10
37. Genesis 40:20 : Est 2:18; Mk 6:21
38. Genesis 40:20 : S ver 1
39. Genesis 40:21 : S ver 1
40. Genesis 40:21 : 2Ki 25:27; Jer 52:31
41. Genesis 40:21 : ver 13
42. Genesis 40:22 : S ver 19
43. Genesis 40:22 : Ge 41:13; Ps 105:19
44. Genesis 40:23 : S ver 14; S Ecc 1:11

New International Version (NIV)

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