1 Text: Genesis 40:1-23, THE CUPBEARER AND THE BAKER THE CUPBEARER AND THE BAKER 1. After these things happened, the cupbearer to the king of Egypt and the royal baker offended their master, the king of Egypt. 2. Pharaoh was enraged with his two officials, the cupbearer and the baker, 3. so he imprisoned them in the house of the captain of the guard in the same facility where Joseph was confined. 4. The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be their attendant, and he served them. They spent some time in custody. 5. Both of them, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, had a dream the same night. Each man s dream had its own meaning. 6. When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were
2 looking depressed. 7. So he asked Pharaoh s officials, who were with him in custody in his master s house, Why do you look so sad today? 8. They told him, We both had dreams, but there is no one to interpret them. Joseph responded, Don t interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me. 9. So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph: In my dream, there was a vine in front of me. 10. On the vine there were three branches. As it budded, its blossoms opened and its clusters ripened into grapes. 11. Now Pharaoh s cup was in my hand, so I took the grapes, squeezed them into his cup, and put the cup in Pharaoh s hand. 12. This is its meaning, Joseph said to him. The three branches represent three days. 13. In three more days Pharaoh will reinstate you and restore you to your office. You will put Pharaoh s cup in his hand, just as you did before when you were cupbearer. 14. But remember me when it goes well for you, and show me kindness. Make mention of me to Pharaoh and bring me out of this prison, 15. for I really was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews and I have done nothing wrong here for which they should put me in a dungeon. 16. When the chief baker saw that the interpretation of the first dream was favorable, he said to Joseph, I also appeared in my dream and there were three baskets of white bread on my head. 17. In the top basket there were baked goods of every kind for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them from the basket that was on my head. 18. Joseph replied, This is its meaning: The three baskets represent three days. 19. In three more days Pharaoh will decapitate you and impale you on a pole. Then the birds will eat your flesh from you. 20. On the third day it was Pharaoh s birthday, so he gave a feast for all
3 his servants. He lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker in the midst of his servants. 21. He restored the chief cupbearer to his former position so that he placed the cup in Pharaoh s hand, 22. but the chief baker he impaled, just as Joseph had predicted. 23. But the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph he forgot him. (NET) Commentary: Sometime the things that seem like they will destroy us and bury us only lift us up and strengthen us. God used adversity to strengthen Joseph and prepare him for a great leadership role in building the nation of Israel. While over the prisoners Joseph met the king s chief butler and chief baker who were also in prison. We do not know why they were there. Apparently the baker s charges were very serious. God, in His sovereignty, put Joseph in contact with the chief butler, a man who had influence on the Pharaoh. Potiphar had put Joseph in charge of the other prisoners. Joseph was unjustly imprisoned, yet he did not wallow in self-pity. Joseph served the other prisoners and so he was quick to recognize that these 2 men were very sad. He found out that they were sad because they had dreams that no one could interpret. Joseph told them that interpretations belong to God. He told the butler that in three days he would be restored to his position. He also made a request of this man. He said, 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: 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 40:14-15) Joseph, no doubt, had hope of getting out of prison soon. The chief baker s dream was sad. He was told that in three days he would be hanged. 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
4 chief baker among his servants. And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand: But he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them. (Genesis 40:20-22) Unfortunately, the chief cupbearer forgot Joseph. Joseph stayed in prison for 2 more years. This reminds us that life has lots of disappointments. People Joseph met in prison -- Genesis 40:1-4: While Joseph was in prison, he met both the king s chief butler and his chief baker. These were the men who were in charge of the king s drink and his food. They had, in some way, offended the king and he had them put in prison. They were placed in the same prison with Joseph. That is the reason they were sent there, so that they might meet Joseph. Potiphar had set Joseph over the other prisoners so he served these men as well as all the others who were there. Potiphar must not have believed the story about Joseph and his wife. Even though Joseph was in charge, he served others; he did not make them serve him. Together these men spent a long time in prison. The Kings butler was restored -- Genesis 40:5-15: One night both the butler and the baker had a dream. Their dreams had a vastly different meaning. The next morning Joseph recognized that these two men were very sad and disturbed about something. They were troubled because there was no one to interpret their dreams. 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) The butler s dream was about a vine with three branches. As soon as it budded, it blossomed, and its grapes became ripe. He dreamed that he held the king's cup, squeezed the grapes into it and then gave the cup to the king. Joseph told him that the meaning of his dream was that in three days the king would pardon him. He would become the chief butler again and serve the king as he had done before. Joseph asked the man to remember him when he was restored to Pharaoh s service. Joseph said, I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and here
5 in Egypt I haven t done anything to deserve being thrown in jail. The Kings baker would be killed -- Genesis 40:16-22: When the chief baker saw that Joseph had given proper interpretation to the butler s dream he wanted Joseph to interpret his dream also. But, be careful what you ask for. His dream and its interpretation were not good at all. The baker s dream was about carrying three white baskets on his head. The top basket was filled with of all kinds of baked things for the king. But the birds ate them out of the basket on his head. Joseph said, This is the interpretation of it: The three baskets are three days. Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head from you and hang you on a tree; and the birds will eat your flesh from you. Joseph was just as faithful in delivering a sad, heartbreaking message as he was in delivering a happy message. That is the mark of a faithful servant of God who will deliver the whole counsel of God. 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. And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand: But he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them. (Genesis 40:20-22) Everything happened just as Joseph had said it would, Joseph was forgotten in prison -- Genesis 40:23: After he was restored the Kings butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him. So Joseph was wronged and mistreated again. He had thought that through the butler s kindness he might be released from prison, but it was not to be. The butler s job was to remember things for Pharaoh, but he forgot about Joseph. This statement has to stick in our minds. Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him. (Genesis 40:23) Joseph learned that we must depend upon God, not upon man for our deliverance. When other people treat us badly, or backstab us, or wrongly speak ill of us, or forget us, how are we to respond? What do we do, how do we live out our faith in the midst of unjust suffering?
6 We have now studied three times when Joseph was treated very unfairly. He had been forsaken and sold by his brethren, framed by Potiphar s wife, and now he is forgotten by the butler! Joseph did not harbor ill will to those who mistreated him. He was able to see God s hand in it all. In order to become a Christian you must believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God. (Hebrews 11:6) You must believe in Jesus enough to be willing to repent of your past sinful life and turn to Him, confessing Him before men and obeying His command to be baptized. (Acts 2:38, Acts 8:36-37) Upon obeying these commands God will save you, your sins will be forgiven and you will walk in a newness of life. (Romans 6:4) Please listen to the teachings of Jesus and His apostles and do as they teach so that you too can be saved, thereby becoming a child of God. Continue to walk with God so you can receive a crown of life. (Revelation 2:20) By Charles Box, Walnut Street Church of Christ, 306 Walnut Street, Greenville, Alabama 36037 USA
7 Questions on Genesis 40:1-23 1. Why did Pharaoh imprison his cup bearer and chief baker? 2. What duties did the captain of the guard, prison warden assign Joseph while the cup bearer and baker were in jail? 3. How could Joseph tell one morning something was troubling the cup bearer and baker? 4. What was the cause of their depression?
8 5. Briefly describe the cup bearer s dream. 6. What was Joseph s interpretation of the cup bearer s dream? 7. Joseph asked the cup bearer for one favor once he was restored to his former position. What was the request? Did the cup bearer follow through on Joseph s request? 8. What was the baker s reaction to Joseph s interpretation of the cup bearer s dream?
9 9. Briefly describe the baker s dream. 10. What was Joseph s interpretation of the baker s dream? 11. Why were the prisoners released on the third day? 12. Did the dreams come to pass just as Joseph had predicted? What does this tell us about Joseph s ability to interpret dreams?
10 13. What does this chapter teach us about Joseph s character that we can use in our own lives?