20130829 Thursday, August 29 2013
Genesis 40: The Dreams Of The Butler And The Baker

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

Joseph was sold into slavery by his own brothers (see Genesis 37: Joseph's Coat Of Many Colours). He served his master honorably and honestly, but was further imprisoned as a result of false charges made by his employer's lustful, adulterous wife (see Genesis 39: Potiphar's Wife). Even in prison, Joseph was made a servant to two other prisoners, the former butler and baker of the Pharaoh who "had offended their lord the king of Egypt."

"40:1 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.

40:2 And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers. 40:3 And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound.

40:4 And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them: and they continued a season in ward." (Genesis 40:1-4 KJV)

Some time later, in the same night, the butler and the baker each had a dream that they vividly remembered the next morning.

"40:5 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." (Genesis 40:5 KJV)

When Joseph came in to attend to his "masters," he saw that they were distressed.

"40:6 And Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and looked upon them, and, behold, they were sad.

40:7 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?" (Genesis 40:6-7 KJV)

Notice that Joseph was not able to know that they had dreams, but that his ability to interpret them was something that he knew that the LORD had given him the ability to know (Joseph's God-given abilities with dreams were actually one of the sources of resentment toward him by his brothers i.e. Genesis 37:5-11).

"40:8 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." (Genesis 40:8 KJV)

The butler was the first to describe his dream.

"40:9 And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him,

In my dream, behold, a vine was before me; 40:10 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: 40:11 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." (Genesis 40:9-11 KJV)

Joseph gave the butler the interpretation of the dream, along with a plea, from one innocent man to another, to help him get out of prison.

"40:12 And Joseph said unto him, This is the interpretation of it:

The three branches are three days: 40:13 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.

40:14 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: 40:15 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." (Genesis 40:12-15 KJV)

The baker then described his dream to Joseph.

"40:16 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: 40:17 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." (Genesis 40:16-17 KJV)

After revealing the meaning of the dream to the baker, Joseph didn't ask for his help in getting out of prison - Joseph new that the baker was about to be executed.

"40:18 And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation thereof: The three baskets are three days: 40:19 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." (Genesis 40:18-19 KJV)

Exactly as Joseph prophesied, the butler was restored, while the baker was executed. "Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him" - yet.

"40:20 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. 40:21 And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand: 40:22 But he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them.

40:23 Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him." (Genesis 40:20-23 KJV)

Fact Finder: By means of his God-given ability to interpret dreams, Joseph rose from a prisoner to the Prime Minister of the country, second only to the King. What other prophet of the LORD rose, in the same way, from a prisoner to the Prime Minister of the country, second only to the King?
See The Prophet Daniel: Nebuchadnezzar's Image