Genesis 40:1
וַיְהִ֗י אַחַר֙ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה חָֽטְא֛וּ מַשְׁקֵ֥ה מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֖יִם וְהָאֹפֶ֑ה לַאֲדֹנֵיהֶ֖ם לְמֶ֥לֶךְ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
and it was, after these things, that the cupbearer of the king of Egypt and the baker offended their lord, the king of Egypt.
Paraphrase: After some time had passed, something happened which would change Joseph’s situation permanently. Just like every other king in those days, Pharaoh had a large staff who waited on him and did all his pleasure. One day, two of these offended him. The first was Pharaoh’s cupbearer who served all the drinks and was responsible that no drink was poisoned. (Nehemiah 1:11; 2:1) The second was the man who had charge of the bakery.
Comments:
Hengstenberg writes (p27) that the art of baking in Egypt was quite sophisticated.
The art of baking was carried to a high degree of perfection among the Egyptians. Rosellini says, after describing the kitchen scenes upon the tomb of Remeses IV. at Biban el Moluk: “From all these representations, it is clear that the Egyptians were accustomed to prepare many kinds of pastry for the table, as we see the very same kinds spread out upon the altars and tables which are represented in the tombs. They made even bread in many and various forms. These articles are found in the tombs kneaded from barley or wheat, in the form of a star, a triangle, a disk, and other such like things.”
Genesis 40:2
וַיִּקְצֹ֣ף פַּרְעֹ֔ה עַ֖ל שְׁנֵ֣י סָרִיסָ֑יו עַ֚ל שַׂ֣ר הַמַּשְׁקִ֔ים וְעַ֖ל שַׂ֥ר הָאוֹפִֽים׃
and Pharaoh was enraged against two of his officers, against the chief cupbearer and against the chief cook.
Paraphrase: Now Pharaoh was greatly incensed at their behavior, especially since both of these men were the head men in their respective departments.
Comments:
Genesis 40:3
וַיִּתֵּ֨ן אֹתָ֜ם בְּמִשְׁמַ֗ר בֵּ֛ית שַׂ֥ר הַטַבָּחִ֖ים אֶל־בֵּ֣ית הַסֹּ֑הַר מְק֕וֹם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יוֹסֵ֖ף אָס֥וּר שָֽׁם׃
and he placed them into confinement, the house of the chief of the executioners, to the round house, a place which Joseph was bound there.
Paraphrase: So Pharoah locked them up in prison, the same prison which Potifar had charge of and the same prison where Joseph was being held.
Comments:
Genesis 40:4
וַ֠יִּפְקֹד שַׂ֣ר הַטַּבָּחִ֧ים אֶת־יוֹסֵ֛ף אִתָּ֖ם וַיְשָׁ֣רֶת אֹתָ֑ם וַיִּהְי֥וּ יָמִ֖ים בְּמִשְׁמָֽר׃
and the chief executioner charged Joseph with them, and he served them and they were days in prison.
Paraphrase: Obedient to Pharoah’s command, Potifar (Genesis 39:1) took these men and committed them into Joseph’s charge. Joseph then booked them into prison and saw them to their cells. For some time, Joseph took care of these men and saw to their every need.
Comments:
Not much respect for for habeas corpus in Egypt. Keil writes (p346):
From a regard to the exalted position of these two prisoners, Potiphar ordered Joseph to wait upon them, not to keep watch over them; for פָּקַד אֶת does not mean to appoint as guard, but to place by the side of a person.
Genesis 40:5
וַיַּֽחַלְמוּ֩ חֲל֨וֹם שְׁנֵיהֶ֜ם אִ֤ישׁ חֲלֹמוֹ֙ בְּלַ֣יְלָה אֶחָ֔ד אִ֖ישׁ כְּפִתְר֣וֹן חֲלֹמ֑וֹ הַמַּשְׁקֶ֣ה וְהָאֹפֶ֗ה אֲשֶׁר֙ לְמֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲסוּרִ֖ים בְּבֵ֥ית הַסֹּֽהַר׃
and they dreamed a dream, both of them, each man his dream in one night, each man according to his interpretation of his dream. The cupbearer and the baker which belonged to the king of Egypt, which were bound in the round house.
Paraphrase: Now it happened one night, that both the cupbearer and the baker had very vivid dreams. Both were convinced that their dreams were important and contained a message for them. Even though these important men of Pharoah were locked away in a prison, they were both eager to know what these dreams might mean.
Comments:
For this usage of אִישׁ, see §139a.
See Wiedemann (bottom of p265) on Egyptian dreams. On this verse, Calvin writes: “God had fixed an arrow in the minds of the butler and the baker, which would not suffer them to rest; and by this means, each was rendered more attentive to the interpretation of his dream.”
Genesis 40:6
וַיָּבֹ֧א אֲלֵיהֶ֛ם יוֹסֵ֖ף בַּבֹּ֑קֶר וַיַּ֣רְא אֹתָ֔ם וְהִנָּ֖ם זֹעֲפִֽים׃
and Joseph came to them in the morning, and he saw them and behold, they were
Paraphrase: Unfortunately, there was no way for these men, while in prison, to present their dreams to the priests for an interpretation. They were quite disappointed with this. That morning, when Joseph brought them their breakfast, he couldn’t help but notice the their troubled looks.
Comments:
For וְהִנָּם, see here (see use #3 in the pdf on that page).
Genesis 40:7
וַיִּשְׁאַ֞ל אֶת־סְרִיסֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אִתּ֧וֹ בְמִשְׁמַ֛ר בֵּ֥ית אֲדֹנָ֖יו לֵאמֹ֑ר מַדּ֛וּעַ פְּנֵיכֶ֥ם רָעִ֖ים הַיּֽוֹם׃
and he asked the officers of Pharoah, which were with him in the prison, the house of his lord, saying, “Why are your faces troubled today?”
Paraphrase: “What’s wrong with you two?” he asked the two officials. “You both look as though something is really bothering you. Is there something I can do to help?”
Comments:
Genesis 40:8
וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֔יו חֲל֣וֹם חָלַ֔מְנוּ וּפֹתֵ֖ר אֵ֣ין אֹת֑וֹ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֜ם יוֹסֵ֗ף הֲל֤וֹא לֵֽאלֹהִים֙ פִּתְרֹנִ֔ים סַפְּרוּ־נָ֖א לִֽי׃
and they said to him, “A dream, we have dreamed but an interpreter of it, there is none. Then Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Please relate to me.”
Paraphrase: Then they told Joseph about the dreams which both of them had received. They told him how vivid these dreams were. “Surely these dreams must have a special meaning for us,” they told Joseph. “The problem is we are stuck in this wretched prison and have no access to the priests (Genesis 41:8) who can give us the interpretation. That is the reason we are looking so despondent today.”
“Well, don’t let that get you down,” said Joseph, “True, we can’t get a priest in here to hear your dream, but remember; it’s not the priests who give the interpretations. Only God can give the meaning of a dream. Now you might not be aware of this, but I know that God is with me, so tell me your dream, and perhaps God will give me its interpretation.”
Comments:
Hengstenberg writes (p29) about the priests who would have claimed to be able to give interpretations of dreams.
Genesis 40:9
וַיְסַפֵּ֧ר שַֽׂר־הַמַּשְׁקִ֛ים אֶת־חֲלֹמ֖וֹ לְיוֹסֵ֑ף וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ בַּחֲלוֹמִ֕י וְהִנֵּה־גֶ֖פֶן לְפָנָֽי׃
Then the chief cupbearer related his dream to Joseph, and he said to him, “In my dream, and behold a vine was before me;
Paraphrase: “We had no idea that you were a priest!” exclaimed Pharaoh’s cupbearer. “I’ll go first,” he exclaimed. “In my dream, I was standing in front of a grape vine.
Comments:
Edersheim (p153): It is also quite natural that, if the chief butler had a good conscience towards his master, he should have been quite ready at the first to tell his dream; while the chief baker, conscious of guilt, only related his when encouraged by the apparently favorable interpretation of his colleague’s.
Genesis 40:10
וּבַגֶּ֖פֶן שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה שָׂרִיגִ֑ם וְהִ֤יא כְפֹרַ֙חַת֙ עָלְתָ֣ה נִצָּ֔הּ הִבְשִׁ֥ילוּ אַשְׁכְּלֹתֶ֖יהָ עֲנָבִֽים׃
and on the vine were three branches, and as she was blooming, her blossoms went up, her clusters caused to ripen into grapes.
Paraphrase: Now this vine had three branches which were full of blossoms. Then, right in front of my eyes, these blossoms grew larger and ripened into clusters thick with ripe, luscious grapes.
Comments:
Genesis 40:11
וְכ֥וֹס פַּרְעֹ֖ה בְּיָדִ֑י וָאֶקַּ֣ח אֶת־הָֽעֲנָבִ֗ים וָֽאֶשְׂחַ֤ט אֹתָם֙ אֶל־כּ֣וֹס פַּרְעֹ֔ה וָאֶתֵּ֥ן אֶת־הַכּ֖וֹס עַל־כַּ֥ף פַּרְעֹֽה׃
and the cup of Pharoah was in my hand, and I took the grapes and squeezed them into the cup of Pharoah and gave the cup into the palm of Pharoah.
Paraphrase: Now since Pharoah’s cup was in my hand, I grabbed these grapes, and pressed the juice out of them into Pharoah’s cup. Then I brought the cup to Pharoah and gave him the cup of juice. It was so real!” said the cupbearer. “After I woke up, I had trouble believing that it was really just a dream.”
Comments:
Genesis 40:12
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ יוֹסֵ֔ף זֶ֖ה פִּתְרֹנ֑וֹ שְׁלֹ֙שֶׁת֙ הַשָּׂ֣רִגִ֔ים שְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת יָמִ֖ים הֵֽם׃
and Joseph said to him, “This is its interpretation. The three branches, they are three days.”
Paraphrase: Joseph listened carefully to the cupbearer; and immediately, YHWH gave him the interpretation. Joseph told the cupbearer the meaning of his dream. “The three branches you saw represent three days.
Comments:
Genesis 40:13
בְּע֣וֹד׀ שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת יָמִ֗ים יִשָּׂ֤א פַרְעֹה֙ אֶת־רֹאשֶׁ֔ךָ וַהֲשִֽׁיבְךָ֖ עַל־כַּנֶּ֑ךָ וְנָתַתָּ֤ כוֹס־פַּרְעֹה֙ בְּיָד֔וֹ כַּמִּשְׁפָּט֙ הָֽרִאשׁ֔וֹן אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָיִ֖יתָ מַשְׁקֵֽהוּ׃
In yet three days, Pharoah will lift your head up and cause you to return on your face and you will give the cup of Pharoah into his hand as the custom was previously which you were his cupbearer.
Paraphrase: This means that three days from now, Pharoah is going to summon you to appear before him. He will drop all the charges against you, raise you up to your former office, and you will once more be in charge of all the king’s drinks. You will give Pharoah the cup when he requests it. You will have the same special access to Pharoah which you had before; he will also confide in you just as he did before you were imprisoned.”
Comments:
Genesis 40:14
כִּ֧י אִם־זְכַרְתַּ֣נִי אִתְּךָ֗ כַּאֲשֶׁר֙ יִ֣יטַב לָ֔ךְ וְעָשִֽׂיתָ־נָּ֥א עִמָּדִ֖י חָ֑סֶד וְהִזְכַּרְתַּ֙נִי֙ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֔ה וְהוֹצֵאתַ֖נִי מִן־הַבַּ֥יִת הַזֶּֽה׃
But if you might remember me with you when it is well for you and please do kindness with me and cause me to be remembered to Pharoah and cause me to go forth from this house.
Paraphrase: At this, the cupbearer leaped for joy. “That’s it!” he cried out! “I’m saved from this dreadful place! I knew my day of vindication would come!” Joseph too was happy for him but was also troubled at his own condition. “Listen,” he said to the cupbearer, “Stop and listen to me please!” At this, the cupbearer stopped and turned to Joseph who was now looking at him in dead earnest. “When you get out of here,” Joseph said, “Promise me that you will bring my name forward to Pharoah at the first opportunity and help get me out of this place.
Comments:
Genesis 40:15
כִּֽי־גֻנֹּ֣ב גֻּנַּ֔בְתִּי מֵאֶ֖רֶץ הָעִבְרִ֑ים וְגַם־פֹּה֙ לֹא־עָשִׂ֣יתִֽי מְא֔וּמָה כִּֽי־שָׂמ֥וּ אֹתִ֖י בַּבּֽוֹר׃
for I was surely stolen from the land of the Hebrews; and also here, I have not done anything that they have placed me in this pit.
Paraphrase: I’ve not told you this before, but I was actually kidnapped from my native country and brought to Egypt against my will. Potifar purchased me as a slave; and for several years, I was his right hand man. One day, his wife accused me of assaulting her; and for this, I was arrested and thrown into this dungeon. Listen; I am telling the truth; the entire story was fabricated and was her vengeance on me because I refused to sleep with her. Now, I am suffering in this dark hole and would really like an opportunity to prove my innocence and get out of here before I end my days in this place. Will you do me this favor?” The cupbearer quickly assured Joseph that, at the very first opportunity, he would bring Joseph’s case before Pharoah and do what he could to get Joseph out of prison.
Comments:
Genesis 40:16
וַיַּ֥רְא שַׂר־הָאֹפִ֖ים כִּ֣י ט֣וֹב פָּתָ֑ר וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־יוֹסֵ֔ף אַף־אֲנִי֙ בַּחֲלוֹמִ֔י וְהִנֵּ֗ה שְׁלֹשָׁ֛ה סַלֵּ֥י חֹרִ֖י עַל־רֹאשִֽׁי׃
Now the chief baker saw that good was the interpretation, he said to Joseph, “Yes, I in my dream and behold, three baskets of white bread were on my head.
Paraphrase: The baker was looking on with great interest at what Joseph had just said to the cupbearer. Encouraged by this positive development, he got up quickly. “Joseph,” he said, “Before you go, also listen to my dream and give me its interpretation.”
“Sure,” said Joseph, “Tell me about it.”
“Well, I was serving up some of my breads to Pharoah and his guests
Comments:
See a baker with bread on his head on p191.
Genesis 40:17
וּבַסַּ֣ל הָֽעֶלְי֔וֹן מִכֹּ֛ל מַאֲכַ֥ל פַּרְעֹ֖ה מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה אֹפֶ֑ה וְהָע֗וֹף אֹכֵ֥ל אֹתָ֛ם מִן־הַסַּ֖ל מֵעַ֥ל רֹאשִֽׁי׃
and in the top basket from all kinds for Pharoah, the work of a baker, but the birds were eating them from off my head.
Paraphrase: These baskets were full of the finest pastries which I and my bakers had produced. Now as we were bringing these to Pharoah, we suddenly noticed that birds were flying in and helping themselves to the bread in our baskets.
Comments:
Genesis 40:18
וַיַּ֤עַן יוֹסֵף֙ וַיֹּ֔אמֶר זֶ֖ה פִּתְרֹנ֑וֹ שְׁלֹ֙שֶׁת֙ הַסַּלִּ֔ים שְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת יָמִ֖ים הֵֽם׃
and Joseph answered and said, “This is its interpretation. Three baskets, they are three days.”
Paraphrase: These baskets were full of the finest pastries which I and my bakers had produced that very morning. Now, as we were bringing these to Pharoah, we suddenly noticed that birds were flying in and helping themselves to the bread in our baskets. What do you suppose this means?”
Comments:
Genesis 40:19
בְּע֣וֹד׀ שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת יָמִ֗ים יִשָּׂ֨א פַרְעֹ֤ה אֶת־רֹֽאשְׁךָ֙ מֵֽעָלֶ֔יךָ וְתָלָ֥ה אוֹתְךָ֖ עַל־עֵ֑ץ וְאָכַ֥ל הָע֛וֹף אֶת־בְּשָׂרְךָ֖ מֵעָלֶֽיךָ׃
In yet three days, Pharoah will lift your head from off you and hang you on a tree and the birds will eat your flesh from off you.
Paraphrase: Joseph frowned. “In just three days,” he said grimly, “Pharoah is going to summon you into his presence and declare you guilty. Then, he will order your head to be cut off and your body hanged on a tree. Here, the birds of prey will swoop down to pick the flesh off your bones.”
Comments:
Genesis 40:20
וַיְהִ֣י׀ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֗י י֚וֹם הֻלֶּ֣דֶת אֶת־פַּרְעֹ֔ה וַיַּ֥עַשׂ מִשְׁתֶּ֖ה לְכָל־עֲבָדָ֑יו וַיִּשָּׂ֞א אֶת־רֹ֣אשׁ׀ שַׂ֣ר הַמַּשְׁקִ֗ים וְאֶת־רֹ֛אשׁ שַׂ֥ר הָאֹפִ֖ים בְּת֥וֹךְ עֲבָדָֽיו׃
Paraphrase:
Comments:
Genesis 40:21
וַיָּ֛שֶׁב אֶת־שַׂ֥ר הַמַּשְׁקִ֖ים עַל־מַשְׁקֵ֑הוּ וַיִּתֵּ֥ן הַכּ֖וֹס עַל־כַּ֥ף פַּרְעֹֽה׃
Genesis 40:22
וְאֵ֛ת שַׂ֥ר הָאֹפִ֖ים תָּלָ֑ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר פָּתַ֛ר לָהֶ֖ם יוֹסֵֽף׃
Genesis 40:23
וְלֹֽא־זָכַ֧ר שַֽׂר־הַמַּשְׁקִ֛ים אֶת־יוֹסֵ֖ף וַיִּשְׁכָּחֵֽהוּ׃פ
Now the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph and he forgot him.
Paraphrase: The cupbearer, however, was too overjoyed to think about Joseph. The promise he had made to Joseph, it never even crossed his mind.
Comments:
Calvin (comment on Genesis 40:1):
Joseph, therefore, seemed to himself to be buried in perpetual oblivion, until the Lord again suddenly rekindles the light which had been smothered, and almost extinguished. Thus, when he might have delivered the holy man directly from prison, he chose to lead him around by circuitous paths, the better to prove his patience, and to manifest, by the mode of his deliverance, that he has wonderful methods of working, hidden from our view. He does this that we may learn not to measure, by our own sense, the salvation which he has promised us; but that we may suffer ourselves to be turned hither or thither by his hand, until he shall have performed his work.