Albert Barnes Commentary Genesis 40:1-23

"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. And Pharaoh was wroth against his two officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers. And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound. And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he ministered unto them: and they continued a season in ward. 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. And Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and saw them, and, behold, they were sad. 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? 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. And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, In my dream, behold, a vine was before me; 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: 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. And Joseph said unto him, This is the interpretation of it: the three branches are three days; 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. 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: 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. 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: 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. And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation thereof: the three baskets are three days; 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. 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. 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. Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him." — Genesis 40:1-23 (ASV)

An uncomplaining patience and an unhesitating hopefulness keep Joseph's heart in calm tranquility. There is a God above, and that God is with him. His soul does not swerve from this feeling. Meanwhile, new and distinguished prisoners are introduced into his place of confinement (Genesis 40:1–4).

The chief butler and chief baker, high officials in Pharaoh’s court, incur the displeasure of their sovereign. The Scripture notes they were in the house of the captain of the guards. It appears that this officer’s establishment contained the prison cells where Joseph and these criminals were confined. The captain charged Joseph with them. As Joseph was his slave, and these were state prisoners, he appointed Joseph to wait on them. It is probable that Joseph’s character had been somewhat re-established with the captain of the guard during his stay in the prison.

(Genesis 40:5–8) These prisoners dream, each according to the interpretation of his dream, the imagery of which was suited to indicate his future state. They were sad—anxious to know the meaning of these impressive dreams. Joseph, maintaining his characteristic frank composure, asks, “Why are your faces sad today?” He continues, “Do not interpretations belong to God?” In his past history, he had learned that dreams themselves come from God. And when he adds, “Tell them now to me,” he intimates that God would enable him to interpret their dreams. Here again, he uses the general name of God, which was common to him and to pagans.

(Genesis 40:9–15) The chief butler now recites his dream. He said he pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup. The imagery of the dream is not intended to imply that Pharaoh drank only the fresh juice of the grape. It only expresses by a natural figure the source of wine, and possibly the duty of the chief butler to understand and superintend the whole process of its formation. Egypt was not only a grain-producing country but also a vine-growing land. The interpretation of this dream was very obvious and natural; yet not without a divine intimation could it be known that the three branches were three days. Joseph, in the quiet confidence that his interpretation would prove correct, begs the chief butler to remember him and try to secure his release. He assures him that he was not a criminal, saying, “For indeed I was stolen away,” and that his enslavement was an act of wrongful violence—a robbery by force. He specifies he was taken “from the land of the Hebrews”; a very remarkable expression, as it strongly favors the presumption that the Hebrews inhabited the country before Canaan took possession of it. Joseph pleads innocence, declaring, “and here also have I done aught that they should put me into the dungeon,” and claims liberation, not as an unmerited favor, but as a right. The term “the pit” is also mentioned, as the pit without water seems to have been the original form of confinement for offenders.

(Genesis 40:16–19) The chief baker is encouraged by this interpretation to tell his dream. “I also was in my dream,” he says. He anticipates a favorable answer, given the remarkable similarity of the dreams. He dreamt of baskets “on my head.” It appears from Egyptian monuments that it was the custom for men to carry articles on their heads. “All manner of baked meats” were also characteristic of a grain-producing country. Joseph’s interpretation included the phrase, “Lift up thy head from upon thee.” This part of the interpretation, especially, proves its divine origin: “And hang thee”—meaning your body, after being beheaded. This was a constant warning to all beholders.

(Genesis 40:20–23) The interpretations prove correct. It was Pharaoh’s birthday. It is natural and proper for people to celebrate with thanksgiving the day of their birth, as life is a pure and positive blessing. The benign Creator gives a happy and precious form of existence only to those whom He endows with the capacity to appreciate its value. A birthday feast cannot be without a chief butler and a chief baker, and therefore, the fate of these prisoners had to be promptly decided. Pharaoh “lifted up the head” of the chief butler and the chief baker; a phrase with a double meaning. The chief butler does not remember Joseph. This is a frequent occurrence in this world. But there is One above who does not forget him. He will deliver Joseph at the proper time.