1 And it came to pass after H310 these things, H1697 that the butler H8248 of the king H4428 of Egypt H4714 and his baker H644 had offended H2398 their lord H113 the king H4428 of Egypt. H4714
2 And Pharaoh H6547 was wroth H7107 against H5921 two H8147 of his officers, H5631 against the chief H8269 of the butlers, H8248 and against the chief H8269 of the bakers. H644
3 And he put H5414 them in ward H4929 in the house H1004 of the captain H8269 of the guard, H2876 into the prison, H1004 H5470 the place H4725 where Joseph H3130 was bound. H631
4 And the captain H8269 of the guard H2876 charged H6485 Joseph H3130 with them, and he served H8334 them: and they continued a season H3117 in ward. H4929
5 And they dreamed H2492 a dream H2472 both of them, H8147 each man H376 his dream H2472 in one H259 night, H3915 each man H376 according to the interpretation H6623 of his dream, H2472 the butler H8248 and the baker H644 of the king H4428 of Egypt, H4714 which were bound H631 in the prison. H1004 H5470
6 And Joseph H3130 came in H935 unto them in the morning, H1242 and looked H7200 upon them, and, behold, they were sad. H2196
7 And he asked H7592 Pharaoh's H6547 officers H5631 that were with him in the ward H4929 of his lord's H113 house, H1004 saying, H559 Wherefore look H6440 ye so sadly H7451 to day? H3117
8 And they said H559 unto him, We have dreamed H2492 a dream, H2472 and there is no interpreter H6622 of it. And Joseph H3130 said H559 unto them, Do not interpretations H6623 belong to God? H430 tell me H5608 them, I pray you.
9 And the chief H8269 butler H8248 told H5608 his dream H2472 to Joseph, H3130 and said H559 to him, In my dream, H2472 behold, a vine H1612 was before me; H6440
10 And in the vine H1612 were three H7969 branches: H8299 and it was as though it budded, H6524 and her blossoms H5322 shot forth; H5927 and the clusters H811 thereof brought forth ripe H1310 grapes: H6025
11 And Pharaoh's H6547 cup H3563 was in my hand: H3027 and I took H3947 the grapes, H6025 and pressed H7818 them into Pharaoh's H6547 cup, H3563 and I gave H5414 the cup H3563 into Pharaoh's H6547 hand. H3709
12 And Joseph H3130 said H559 unto him, This is the interpretation H6623 of it: The three H7969 branches H8299 are three H7969 days: H3117
13 Yet H5750 within three H7969 days H3117 shall Pharaoh H6547 lift up H5375 thine head, H7218 and restore H7725 thee unto thy place: H3653 and thou shalt deliver H5414 Pharaoh's H6547 cup H3563 into his hand, H3027 after the former H7223 manner H4941 when thou wast his butler. H8248
14 But think H2142 on me when it shall be well H3190 with thee, and shew H6213 kindness, H2617 I pray thee, unto me, and make mention H2142 of me unto Pharaoh, H6547 and bring me H3318 out of this house: H1004
15 For indeed I was stolen away H1589 out of the land H776 of the Hebrews: H5680 and here also have I done H6213 nothing H3972 that they should put H7760 me into the dungeon. H953
16 When the chief H8269 baker H644 saw H7200 that the interpretation H6622 was good, H2896 he said H559 unto Joseph, H3130 I also H637 was in my dream, H2472 and, behold, I had three H7969 white H2751 baskets H5536 on my head: H7218
17 And in the uppermost H5945 basket H5536 there was of all manner H3978 of bakemeats H4639 H644 for Pharaoh; H6547 and the birds H5775 did eat H398 them out of the basket H5536 upon H5921 my head. H7218
18 And Joseph H3130 answered H6030 and said, H559 This is the interpretation H6623 thereof: The three H7969 baskets H5536 are three H7969 days: H3117
19 Yet within three H7969 days H3117 shall Pharaoh H6547 lift up H5375 thy head H7218 from off thee, and shall hang H8518 thee on a tree; H6086 and the birds H5775 shall eat H398 thy flesh H1320 from off thee.
20 And it came to pass the third H7992 day, H3117 which was Pharaoh's H6547 birthday, H3117 H3205 that he made H6213 a feast H4960 unto all his servants: H5650 and he lifted up H5375 the head H7218 of the chief H8269 butler H8248 and of the chief H8269 baker H644 among H8432 his servants. H5650
21 And he restored H7725 the chief H8269 butler H8248 unto his butlership H4945 again; H7725 and he gave H5414 the cup H3563 into Pharaoh's H6547 hand: H3709
22 But he hanged H8518 the chief H8269 baker: H644 as Joseph H3130 had interpreted H6622 to them.
23 Yet did not the chief H8269 butler H8248 remember H2142 Joseph, H3130 but forgat H7911 him.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Genesis 40
Commentary on Genesis 40 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 40
Ge 40:1-8. Two State Prisoners.
1. the butler—not only the cup-bearer, but overseer of the royal vineyards, as well as the cellars; having, probably, some hundreds of people under him.
baker—or cook, had the superintendence of every thing relating to the providing and preparing of meats for the royal table. Both officers, especially the former, were, in ancient Egypt, always persons of great rank and importance; and from the confidential nature of their employment, as well as their access to the royal presence, they were generally the highest nobles or princes of the blood.
3. Pharaoh put them in ward, &c.—Whatever was their crime, they were committed, until their case could be investigated, to the custody of the captain of the guard, that is, Potiphar, in an outer part of whose house the royal prison was situated.
4. The captain of the guard charged Joseph with them—not the keeper, though he was most favorably disposed; but Potiphar himself, who, it would seem, was by this time satisfied of the perfect innocence of the young Hebrew; though, probably, to prevent the exposure of his family, he deemed it prudent to detain him in confinement (see Ps 37:5).
They continued a season in ward—literally, "days," how long, is uncertain; but as they were called to account on the king's birthday, it has been supposed that their offense had been committed on the preceding anniversary [Calvin].
5-8. they dreamed a dream—Joseph, influenced by the spirit of true religion, could feel for others (Ec 4:1; Ro 12:15; Php 2:4). Observing them one day extremely depressed, he inquired the cause of their melancholy; and being informed it was owing to a dream they had respectively dreamed during the previous night, after piously directing them to God (Da 2:30; Isa 26:10), he volunteered to aid them, through the divine help, in discovering the import of their vision. The influence of Providence must be seen in the remarkable fact of both officers dreaming such dreams in one night. He moves the spirits of men.
Ge 40:9-15. The Butler's Dream.
9-11. In my dream, behold, a vine was before me—The visionary scene described seems to represent the king as taking exercise and attended by his butler, who gave him a cooling draught. On all occasions, the kings of ancient Egypt were required to practice temperance in the use of wine [Wilkinson]; but in this scene, it is a prepared beverage he is drinking, probably the sherbet of the present day. Everything was done in the king's presence—the cup was washed, the juice of the grapes pressed into it; and it was then handed to him—not grasped; but lightly resting on the tips of the fingers.
12-15. Joseph said, … This is the interpretation—Speaking as an inspired interpreter, he told the butler that within three days he would be restored to all the honors and privileges of his office; and while making that joyful announcement, he earnestly bespoke the officer's influence for his own liberation. Nothing has hitherto met us in the record indicative of Joseph's feelings; but this earnest appeal reveals a sadness and impatient longing for release, which not all his piety and faith in God could dispel.
Ge 40:16-23. The Baker's Dream.
16. I had three white baskets—The circumstances mentioned exactly describe his duties, which, notwithstanding numerous assistants, he performed with his own hands.
white—literally, "full of holes"; that is, wicker baskets. The meats were carried to table upon the head in three baskets, one piled upon the other; and in the uppermost, the bakemeats. And in crossing the open courts, from the kitchen to the dining rooms, the removal of the viands by a vulture, eagle, ibis, or other rapacious bird, was a frequent occurrence in the palaces of Egypt, as it is an everyday incident in the hot countries of the East still. The risk from these carnivorous birds was the greater in the cities of Egypt, where being held sacred, it was unlawful to destroy them; and they swarmed in such numbers as to be a great annoyance to the people.
18, 19. Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation—The purport was that in three days his execution should be ordered. The language of Joseph describes minutely one form of capital punishment that prevailed in Egypt; namely, that the criminal was decapitated and then his headless body gibbeted on a tree by the highway till it was gradually devoured by the ravenous birds.
20-22. it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday—This was a holiday season, celebrated at court with great magnificence and honored by a free pardon to prisoners. Accordingly, the issue happened to the butler and baker, as Joseph had foretold. Doubtless, he felt it painful to communicate such dismal tidings to the baker; but he could not help announcing what God had revealed to him; and it was for the honor of the true God that he should speak plainly.
23. yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph—This was human nature. How prone are men to forget and neglect in prosperity, those who have been their companions in adversity (Am 6:6)! But although reflecting no credit on the butler, it was wisely ordered in the providence of God that he should forget him. The divine purposes required that Joseph should obtain his deliverance in another way, and by other means.