Genesis 40: Dreams Interpreted in the Dungeon
In prison Joseph interprets the dreams of Pharaoh's officials, yet he is forgotten by the one he helps.
Genesis 40 (WEB)
1 After these things, the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker offended their lord, the king of Egypt.
2 Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cup bearer and the chief baker.
3 He put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound.
4 The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he took care of them. They stayed in prison many days.
5 They both dreamed a dream, each man his dream, in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the cup bearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were bound in the prison.
6 Joseph came in to them in the morning, and saw them, and saw that they were sad.
7 He asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in custody in his master’s house, saying, “Why do you look so sad today?”
8 They said to him, “We have dreamed a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it.” Joseph said to them, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Please tell it to me.”
9 The chief cup bearer told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, “In my dream, behold, a vine was in front of me,
10 and in the vine were three branches. It was as though it budded, it blossomed, and its clusters produced ripe grapes.
11 Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand; and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand.”
12 Joseph said to him, “This is its interpretation: the three branches are three days.
13 Within three more days, Pharaoh will lift up your head, and restore you to your office. You will give Pharaoh’s cup into his hand, the way you did when you were his cup bearer.
14 But remember me when it will be well with you, and please show kindness to me, and make mention of me to Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house.
15 For indeed, I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.”
16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said to Joseph, “I also was in my dream, and behold, three baskets of white bread were on my head.
17 In the uppermost basket there were all kinds of baked food for Pharaoh, and the birds ate them out of the basket on my head.”
18 Joseph answered, “This is its interpretation. The three baskets are three days.
19 Within three more days, Pharaoh will lift up your head from off you, and will hang you on a tree; and the birds will eat your flesh from off you.”
20 On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he made a feast for all his servants, and he lifted up the head of the chief cup bearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants.
21 He restored the chief cup bearer to his position again, and he gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand;
22 but he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them.
23 Yet the chief cup bearer didn’t remember Joseph, but forgot him.
Genesis 40 (KJV)
1 And it came to pass after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker had offended their lord the king of Egypt.
2 And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers.
3 And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound.
4 And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them: and they continued a season in ward.
5 And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, which were bound in the prison.
6 And Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and looked upon them, and, behold, they were sad.
7 And he asked Pharaoh’s officers that were with him in the ward of his lord’s house, saying, Wherefore look ye so sadly to day?
8 And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you.
9 And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, In my dream, behold, a vine was before me;
10 And in the vine were three branches: and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes:
11 And Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand: and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand.
12 And Joseph said unto him, This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days:
13 Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thine head, and restore thee unto thy place: and thou shalt deliver Pharaoh’s cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his butler.
14 But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and shew kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house:
15 For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews: and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.
16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said unto Joseph, I also was in my dream, and, behold, I had three white baskets on my head:
17 And in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of bakemeats for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head.
18 And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation thereof: The three baskets are three days:
19 Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree; and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee.
20 And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants.
21 And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand:
22 But he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them.
23 Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him.
Genesis 40 (ASV)
1 And it came to pass after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker offended their lord the king of Egypt.
2 And Pharaoh was wroth against his two officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers.
3 And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound.
4 And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he ministered unto them: and they continued a season in ward.
5 And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream, in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were bound in the prison.
6 And Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and saw them, and, behold, they were sad.
7 And he asked Pharaoh’s officers that were with him in ward in his master’s house, saying, Wherefore look ye so sad to-day?
8 And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell it me, I pray you.
9 And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, In my dream, behold, a vine was before me;
10 and in the vine were three branches: and it was as though it budded, and its blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes:
11 and Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand; and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand.
12 And Joseph said unto him, This is the interpretation of it: the three branches are three days;
13 within yet three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head, and restore thee unto thine office: and thou shalt give Pharaoh’s cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his butler.
14 But have me in thy remembrance when it shall be well with thee, and show kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house:
15 for indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews: and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.
16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said unto Joseph, I also was in my dream, and, behold, three baskets of white bread were on my head:
17 and in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of baked food for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head.
18 And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation thereof: the three baskets are three days;
19 within yet three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree; and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee.
20 And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and the head of the chief baker among his servants.
21 And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand:
22 but he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them.
23 Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him.
Summary
Pharaoh's chief cup bearer and chief baker offend their king and are imprisoned in the same place as Joseph, who is assigned to attend them. One night both men dream, and in the morning Joseph finds them troubled because no one can interpret their dreams. Insisting that interpretations belong to God, Joseph hears them out. He tells the cup bearer that his dream of three branches means he will be restored to his office in three days, and asks him to remember him to Pharaoh. To the baker he gives a grim word: his three baskets mean he will be executed in three days. On Pharaoh's birthday both predictions come true exactly. Yet the restored cup bearer forgets Joseph, leaving him still in prison.
Main Characters
- Joseph — The imprisoned servant who interprets dreams by God's wisdom and asks the cup bearer to remember him.
- The chief cup bearer — Pharaoh's official whose dream foretells his restoration, but who forgets Joseph once freed.
- The chief baker — Pharaoh's official whose dream foretells his execution within three days.
- Pharaoh — The king of Egypt whose birthday brings the fulfillment of both officials' dreams.
Key Verse
Genesis 40:8 (WEB)
They said to him, “We have dreamed a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it.” Joseph said to them, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Please tell it to me.”
Lessons Learned
- Wisdom and interpretation belong to God, who shares them with the humble.
- We can serve and care for others even in our own difficult circumstances.
- Speaking the truth faithfully sometimes means delivering hard words as well as hopeful ones.
- When people forget our kindness, God does not forget his servants.
- God is the source of true insight. Joseph refuses to take credit, declaring that interpretations belong to God (Genesis 40:8, WEB).
- Compassion notices others' burdens. Joseph sees the officials are sad and asks why they look so troubled (Genesis 40:6-7, WEB).
- Faithful witness includes hard truths. Joseph delivers the baker's grim interpretation honestly rather than softening God's word (Genesis 40:18-19, WEB).
- It is right to seek help while trusting God. Joseph asks the cup bearer to remember him and plead his cause to Pharaoh (Genesis 40:14, WEB).
- God's word proves true in every detail. On Pharaoh's birthday both dreams are fulfilled exactly as Joseph interpreted (Genesis 40:20-22, WEB).
- Human forgetfulness cannot thwart God's timing. The cup bearer forgets Joseph, yet the delay is held within God's larger plan (Genesis 40:23, WEB).
- Why does Joseph insist that 'interpretations belong to God' before hearing the dreams (Genesis 40:8)?
- How does Joseph treat the two officials despite his own imprisonment (Genesis 40:6-7)?
- What does Joseph's request to the cup bearer reveal about his longing and his situation (Genesis 40:14-15)?
- Have you ever done good for someone who then forgot you? How did you respond?
- How can you keep serving others faithfully even while waiting on God to change your own circumstances?
- Joseph points away from himself to God, the true giver of interpretation (40:8); his humility frames his gift as a service from the Lord rather than a personal power to boast in.
- Though a prisoner himself, Joseph comes to the officials, notices their sadness, and asks why they look so troubled (40:6-7), showing genuine care that rises above his own hardship.
- Joseph asks to be remembered and explains he was stolen from his homeland and has done nothing to deserve the dungeon (40:14-15), revealing both his innocence and his deep longing for freedom.
- Personal: invite members to share experiences of being forgotten or overlooked. Encourage them that, like Joseph, they can entrust their cause to God who remembers his own.
- Personal: encourage members to identify ways to serve others now, even in seasons of waiting, trusting God with the timing of their own deliverance.