Lockman - Bible questions and answers

		Gen 40:1 Now some time later, the cupbearer (butler) and the baker for the king of Egypt offended their lord, Egypt's king.
		Gen 40:2 Pharaoh (Sesostris II) was extremely angry with his two officials, the chief of the cupbearers and the chief of the bakers.
		Gen 40:3 He put them in confinement in the house of the captain of the guard, in the same prison where Joseph was confined.
		Gen 40:4 The captain of the guard put Joseph in charge of them, and he served them; and they continued to be in custody for some time.
		Gen 40:5 Then the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, both dreamed a dream in the same night, each man with his [own significant] dream and each dream with its [personal] interpretation.
		Gen 40:6 When Joseph came to them in the morning and looked at them, [he saw that] they were sad and depressed.
		Gen 40:7 So he asked Pharaoh's officials who were in confinement with him in his master's house, "Why do you look so down-hearted today?"
		Gen 40:8 And they said to him, "We have [each] dreamed [distinct] dreams and there is no one to interpret them." So Joseph said to them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell me [your dreams]."
		Gen 40:9 ¶ So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, "In my dream there was a grapevine in front of me;
		Gen 40:10 and on the vine were three branches. Then as soon as it budded, its blossoms burst open, and its clusters produced ripe grapes [in rapid succession].
		Gen 40:11 "Now Pharaoh's cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes and squeezed them into Pharaoh's cup; then I placed the cup into Pharaoh's hand."
		Gen 40:12 Then Joseph said to him, "This is the interpretation of it: the three branches represent three days;
		Gen 40:13 within three more days Pharaoh will lift up your head (present you in public) and restore you to your position; and you will [again] put Pharaoh's cup into his hand just as [you did] when you were his cupbearer.
		Gen 40:14 "Only think of me when it goes well with you, and please show me kindness by mentioning me to Pharaoh and get me out of this house.
		Gen 40:15 "For in fact I was taken (stolen) from the land of the Hebrews by [unlawful] force, and even here I have done nothing for which they should put me in the dungeon."
		Gen 40:16 ¶ When the chief baker saw that the interpretation [of the dream] was good, he said to Joseph, "I also dreamed, and [in my dream] there were three cake baskets on my head;
		Gen 40:17 and in the top basket there were some of all sorts of baked food for Pharaoh, but the birds [of prey] were eating [these foods] out of the basket on my head."
		Gen 40:18 Joseph answered, "This is the interpretation of it: the three baskets represent three days;
		Gen 40:19 within three more days Pharaoh will lift up your head and will hang you on a tree (gallows, pole), and [you will not so much as be given a burial, but] the birds will eat your flesh."
		Gen 40:20 ¶ Now on the third day, [which was] the Pharaoh's birthday, he [released the two men from prison and] made a feast for all his servants; and he lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker [that is, presented them in public] among his servants.
		Gen 40:21 He restored the chief cupbearer to his office, and the cupbearer [once again] put the cup into Pharaoh's hand;
		Gen 40:22 but Pharaoh hanged the chief baker, just as Joseph had interpreted [the meaning of the dreams] to them.
		Gen 40:23 Yet [even after all that] the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot [all about] him.

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