Genesis 40

1 Some time later [after these things, following these events], the king’s [royal, sovereign] cupbearer [butler, one who gives drink] and baker [one who cooks, prepares food] offended [sinned, missed the mark] their master [lord, ruler], the king [ruler, monarch] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa, the land of the Nile]. word study 2 Pharaoh [the king of Egypt, a powerful leader] was angry [wroth, furious, intensely displeased] with his two [a pair, a duo] officers, the chief [ruler, person in charge] cupbearer [one who serves drink, a butler] and the chief [ruler, person in charge] baker [one who cooks, a maker of bread], word study 3 and imprisoned them [in custody, under guard] in the house [dwelling place, residence] of the captain [ruler, leader] of the guard [lifeguardsman, executioner], the same prison [place of confinement, dungeon] where Joseph [Jehovah has added] was confined [bound, tied up, in a state of captivity]. word study 4 The captain [ruler, chief] of the guard [executioner, lifeguardsman] assigned them to Joseph, and he became their personal attendant [served them, ministered to their needs]. After they had been in custody [confinement, prison] for some time [days, a season], word study 5 both of these men—the Egyptian [ruler of a powerful nation] king’s cupbearer [one who serves drink, a butler] and baker [one who prepares bread, a cook], who were being held [bound, imprisoned] in the prison [a place of confinement, a dungeon]—had a dream [a vision, a prophetic message] on the same night [a period of darkness, a time of rest], and each dream [a unique vision, a personal message] had its own meaning [interpretation, significance]. word study 6 When Joseph [the one Jehovah has added] came to them in the morning [at the break of day], he saw [looked upon, perceived] that they were [appeared to be, seemed] distraught [sad, dejected, worried, enraged]. word study 7 So he asked [inquired, sought to understand] the officials [servants, eunuchs] of Pharaoh [the king of Egypt, a powerful leader] who were in [under, within] custody [prison, confinement] with him in his master’s [lord’s] house [dwelling place, palace], “Why [for what reason, wherefore] are your faces [presence, countenance] so [very, exceedingly] downcast [sad, depressed] today [at this time, in this day]?” word study 8 “We both had dreams [experienced visions in our sleep],” they replied, “but there is no one [no interpreter, no explainer] to interpret [to explain, to uncover the meaning of] them.” Then Joseph said to them, “Don’t interpretations [explanations, understandings] belong to God [Elohim, the all-knowing One]? Tell me your dreams [share with me your visions, your nighttime experiences].” word study 9 So the chief [ruler, person in charge] cupbearer [butler, one who gives drink] told Joseph [Jehovah has added] his dream [vision, prophetic message]: “In my dream [vision, prophetic experience] there was a vine [a grapevine] before me [in my presence, face to face], word study 10 and on the vine [a grapevine] were three [thrice] branches [tendrils, or parts of a plant that entwine]. As it budded [to sprout, or break forth like a flower], its blossoms [flowers, or bright growths] opened and its clusters [bunches of fruit] ripened [to boil, or cook, like fruit becoming ripe] into grapes [a type of fruit related to wine]. word study 11 Pharaoh’s [king of Egypt, ruler] cup [vessel, container] was in my hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share], and I took [received, got] the grapes [fruit of the vine], squeezed [pressed, wrung] them into his [Pharaoh’s, the king’s] cup, and placed [gave, set] the cup [container, vessel] in his [Pharaoh’s, the ruler’s] hand [palm].” word study 12 Joseph [the son of Jacob, Jehovah has added] replied, “This [the following explanation, this is the meaning] is the interpretation [explanation, uncovering of the dream’s meaning]: The three [a quantity of three, thrice] branches [tendrils, parts of a plant] are three [the same quantity, a period of three] days [a period of twenty-four hours, a unit of time]. word study 13 Within [a short period of, after] three [a specific number of] days Pharaoh [the king of Egypt, a powerful leader] will lift up [exalt, raise] your head [the topmost part of the body] and restore [return, bring back] your position [office, role]. You will put [give, place] Pharaoh’s cup [royal vessel] in his hand [power, control], just as [in the same manner, similarly] you did when you were his [serving as] cupbearer [butler, one who serves drink]. word study 14 But when it goes well [is prosperous, successful] for you, please remember [keep me in thy remembrance, recall] me and show me kindness [mercy, pity, loving actions] by mentioning [making mention, speaking] me to Pharaoh [the king of Egypt], that he might bring [lead, take] me out of this prison [house, place of confinement]. word study 15 For I was kidnapped [stolen away, forcibly taken] from the land [country, territory] of the Hebrews [descendants of Eber, Israelites], and even here [in this place, now] I have done nothing [no wrong, no evil] for which they should have put me in this dungeon [pit, prison cell].” word study 16 When the chief baker [head of the bakers, ruler of the bread-makers] saw that the interpretation [explanation, meaning] was favorable [good, pleasant], he said to Joseph [Jehovah has added], “I too [also, in addition] had a dream [vision, prophetic experience]: There were three baskets [containers, woven vessels] of white [pure, clean] bread [food, nourishment] on my head [upon my mind, on my person]. word study 17 In the top [uppermost, highest] basket were all sorts [kinds, varieties] of baked goods [baked food, cakes and pastries] for Pharaoh [the king of Egypt], but the birds [fowl, winged creatures] were eating them out of the basket [container, vessel] on my head [upon my person, above me].” word study 18 Joseph [the one Jehovah has added] replied, “This [specific, particular] is the interpretation [explanation, meaning]: The three [a quantity of, thrice] baskets [containers, woven vessels] are three [a period of, a span of] days [24-hour periods, time]. word study 19 Within [still, yet] three [a quantity of three, thrice] days Pharaoh [the king of Egypt, a powerful leader] will lift [raise, elevate] off your head [the topmost part of the body] and hang [suspend, execute] you on a tree [a wooden pole, a cross]. Then the birds [fowl, winged creatures] will eat [devour, consume] the flesh [body, physical form] of your body [physical person, self].” word study 20 On the third [following, successive] day, which was Pharaoh’s [the king of Egypt, a powerful ruler] birthday [birth-day, a day of celebration], he held a feast [banquet, a grand meal] for all his officials [servants, attendants], and in their presence [midst, among] he lifted up [exalted, restored] the heads [positions, authority] of the chief [ruler, leader] cupbearer [butler, one who serves drink] and the chief [ruler, leader] baker [one who prepares bread]. word study 21 Pharaoh [the king of Egypt, a powerful leader] restored [returned to a former position, reinstated] the chief cupbearer [ruler of the wine servers, butler] to his position [role, office], so that he once again [as before, in the past] placed [gave, set] the cup [vessel, container] in Pharaoh’s [the king’s, his majesty’s] hand [palm, grasp]. word study 22 But Pharaoh [the king, ruler] hanged [executed by hanging, put to death] the chief [head, leader] baker [one who bakes, prepares food], just as [in the same way, according to] Joseph [Jehovah has added, a leader] had described [interpreted, explained] to them [the two men, the prisoners] in his [personal, own] interpretation [explanation, understanding]. word study 23 The chief [ruler, person in charge] cupbearer [butler, one who gives drink], however, did not [in no way] remember [recall, mark] Joseph [Jehovah has added]; he forgot [was oblivious to, mislaid] all about him [completely, from his mind]. word study