Genesis 40

Genesis 40:1

It came about that

This phrase is used here to mark a new event in the story.

the cupbearer

This is the person who brought drinks to the king.

king's baker

This is the person who made food for the king.

offended their master

"upset their master"

Genesis 40:2

the chief of the cupbearers and the chief of the bakers

"the leading cupbearer and the leading baker"

Genesis 40:3

He put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard

"He put them in the prison that was in the house that was overseen by the captain of the guard"

in the same prison where Joseph was confined

"This was the same prison that Joseph was in" or "This was the same prison Potiphar put Joseph in"

Genesis 40:4

They remained in custody for some time

"They remained in prison for a long time"

Genesis 40:6

Behold, they were upset

"He was surprised to see that they were upset"

Genesis 40:7

Pharaoh's officials who were with him

This refers to the cupbearer and the baker.

in custody in his master's house

"In prison in him master's house." "His master" refers to Joseph's master, the captain of the guard.

Genesis 40:8

Tell me, please

"Tell me the dreams, please"

Genesis 40:11

squeezed them

"squeezed the juice from them"

Genesis 40:12

This is the interpretation of it

"Here is what the dream means"

The three branches are three days

"The three branches represent three days"

Genesis 40:13

Within three days

"In three more days"

restore you to your office

"will give you back your job"

just as when

"just as you did when"

Genesis 40:14

please show kindness to me

"please be kind to me"

Mention me to Pharaoh and bring me out of this prison

"Help me get out of this prison by telling Pharaoh about me"

Genesis 40:15

For indeed I was abducted

"For indeed people took me" or "For indeed the Ishmaelites took me"

the land of the Hebrews

"the land where the Hebrew people live"

Here also have I done nothing that they should put me in this dungeon

"and also while I have been here in Egypt, I have done nothing for which I deserved to be put in prison"

Genesis 40:16

behold, three baskets of bread were on my head

"there were three baskets of bread on my head!" The baker uses word "behold" here to show that he was surprised by what he saw in his dream and to alert Joseph to pay attention.

Genesis 40:19

will lift up your head from you

"will lift up your head with a knife" or "will lift up your head with a noose"

flesh

Here "flesh" literally means the soft tissue on a person's body.

Genesis 40:20

It came about on the third day that

"Afterward, on the third day." The phrase "it came about" is used here to mark a new event in the story.

He lifted up the head of the chief of the cupbearers and the head of the chief of the bakers

"He lifted up the heads of the chief of the cupbearers and the chief of the bakers"

Genesis 40:21

He restored the chief of the cupbearers to his responsibility

"He gave the chief of the cupbearers his job back"

Genesis 40:22

But he hanged the chief of the bakers

"But he commanded for the chief of the bakers to be hanged" or "But he commanded his guards to hang the chief of the bakers"

just as Joseph had interpreted to them

"just as Joseph had said would happen when he interpreted the two men's dreams"