9 And the chief of the butlers recounteth his dream to Joseph, and saith to him, `In my dream, then lo, a vine `is' before me!
10 and in the vine `are' three branches, and it `is' as it were flourishing; gone up hath its blossom, its clusters have ripened grapes;
11 and Pharaoh's cup `is' in my hand, and I take the grapes and press them into the cup of Pharaoh, and I give the cup into the hand of Pharaoh.'
12 And Joseph saith to him, `This `is' its interpretation: the three branches are three days;
13 yet, within three days doth Pharaoh lift up thy head, and hath put thee back on thy station, and thou hast given the cup of Pharaoh into his hand, according to the former custom when thou wast his butler.
14 `Surely if thou hast remembered me with thee, when it is well with thee, and hast done (I pray thee) kindness with me, and hast made mention of me unto Pharaoh, then hast thou brought me out from this house,
15 for I was really stolen from the land of the Hebrews; and here also have I done nothing that they have put me in the pit.'
16 And the chief of the bakers seeth that he hath interpreted good, and he saith unto Joseph, `I also `am' in a dream, and lo, three baskets of white bread `are' on my head,
17 and in the uppermost basket `are' of all `kinds' of Pharaoh's food, work of a baker; and the birds are eating them out of the basket, from off my head.'
18 And Joseph answereth and saith, `This `is' its interpretation: the three baskets are three days;
19 yet, within three days doth Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee, and hath hanged thee on a tree, and the birds have eaten thy flesh from off thee.'
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Genesis 40
Commentary on Genesis 40 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 40
In this chapter things are working, though slowly, towards Joseph's advancement.
Gen 40:1-4
We should not have had this story of Pharaoh's butler and baker recorded in scripture if it had not been serviceable to Joseph's preferment. The world stands for the sake of the church, and is governed for its good. Observe,
Gen 40:5-19
Observe,
Gen 40:20-23
Here is,
Some observe the resemblance between Joseph and Christ in this story. Joseph's fellow-sufferers were like the two thieves that were crucified with Christ-the one saved, the other condemned. (It is Dr. Lightfoot's remark, from Mr. Broughton.) One of these, when Joseph said to him, Remember me when it shall be well with thee, forget him; but one of those, when he said to Christ, Remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom, was not forgotten. We justly blame the chief butler's ingratitude to Joseph, yet we conduct ourselves much more disingenuously towards the Lord Jesus. Joseph had but foretold the chief butler's enlargement, but Christ wrought out ours, mediated with the King of kings for us; yet we forget him, though often reminded of him, though we have promised never to forget him: thus ill do we requite him, like foolish people and unwise.