Joseph Interprets the Prisoners' Dreams
1 Some time later the king of Egypt's wine steward and his chief baker offended the king. 2 He was angry with these two officials 3 and put them in prison in the house of the captain of the guard, in the same place where Joseph was being kept. 4 They spent a long time in prison, and the captain assigned Joseph as their servant.
5 One night there in prison the wine steward and the chief baker each had a dream, and the dreams had different meanings. 6 When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were upset. 7 He asked them, “Why do you look so worried today?”
8 They answered, “Each of us had a dream, and there is no one here to explain what the dreams mean.”
“It is God who gives the ability to interpret dreams,” Joseph said. “Tell me your dreams.”
9 So the wine steward said, “In my dream there was a grapevine in front of me 10 with three branches on it. As soon as the leaves came out, the blossoms appeared, and the grapes ripened. 11 I was holding the king's cup; so I took the grapes and squeezed them into the cup and gave it to him.”
12 Joseph said, “This is what it means: the three branches are three days. 13 In three days the king will release you, pardon you, and restore you to your position. You will give him his cup as you did before when you were his wine steward. 14 But please remember me when everything is going well for you, and please be kind enough to mention me to the king and help me get out of this prison. 15 After all, I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and even here in Egypt I didn't do anything to deserve being put in prison.”
16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation of the wine steward's dream was favorable, he said to Joseph, “I had a dream too; I was carrying three breadbaskets on my head. 17 In the top basket there were all kinds of baked goods for the king, and the birds were eating them.”
18 Joseph answered, “This is what it means: the three baskets are three days. 19 In three days the king will release you—and have your head cut off! Then he will hang your body on a pole, and the birds will eat your flesh.”
20 On his birthday three days later the king gave a banquet for all his officials; he released his wine steward and his chief baker and brought them before his officials. 21 He restored the wine steward to his former position, 22 but he executed the chief baker. It all happened just as Joseph had said. 23 But the wine steward never gave Joseph another thought—he forgot all about him.
1 And after these things, the butler of the King of Egypt and his baker offended their lorde the King of Egypt. 2 And Pharaoh was angrie against his two officers, against the chiefe butler, and against the chiefe baker. 3 Therefore he put them in ward in his chiefe stewardes house, in the prison and place where Ioseph was bound. 4 And the chiefe steward gaue Ioseph charge ouer them, and he serued them: and they continued a season in warde. 5 And they both dreamed a dreame, eyther of them his dreame in one night, eche one according to the interpretation of his dreame, both the butler and the baker of the King of Egypt, which were bounde in the prison. 6 And when Ioseph came in vnto them in the morning, and looked vpon them, beholde, they were sad. 7 And he asked Pharaohs officers, that were with him in his masters warde, saying, Wherefore looke ye so sadly to day? 8 Who answered him, We haue dreamed, eche one a dreame, and there is none to interprete the same. Then Ioseph saide vnto them, Are not interpretations of God? tell them me nowe. 9 So the chiefe butler tolde his dreame to Ioseph, and said vnto him, In my dreame, behold, a vine was before me, 10 And in the vine were three branches, and as it budded, her flowre came foorth: and the clusters of grapes waxed ripe. 11 And I had Pharaohs cup in mine hande, and I tooke the grapes, and wrung the into Pharaohs cup, and I gaue the cup into Pharaohs hand. 12 Then Ioseph sayde vnto him, This is the interpretation of it: The three braunches are three dayes. 13 Within three dayes shall Pharaoh lift vp thine head, and restore thee vnto thine office, and thou shalt giue Pharaohs cup into his hand after the olde maner, when thou wast his butler. 14 But haue me in remembrance with thee, when thou art in good case, and shew mercie, I pray thee, vnto me, and make mention of me to Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring me out of this house. 15 For I was stollen away by theft out of the land of the Ebrewes, and here also haue I done nothing, wherefore they should put mee in the dungeon. 16 And when the chiefe baker sawe that the interpretation was good, hee saide vnto Ioseph, Also mee thought in my dreame that I had three white baskets on mine head. 17 And in the vppermost basket there was of all maner baken meates for Pharaoh: and the birdes did eate them out of the basket vpon mine head. 18 Then Ioseph answered, and saide, This is the interpretation thereof: The three baskets are three dayes: 19 Within three dayes shall Pharaoh take thine head from thee, and shall hang thee on a tree, and the birdes shall eate thy flesh from off thee. 20 And so the third day, which was Pharaohs birthday, hee made a feast vnto all his seruants: and hee lifted vp the head of the chiefe butler, and the head of the chiefe baker among his seruants. 21 And he restored the chiefe butler vnto his butlershippe, who gaue the cup into Pharaohs hande, 22 But he hanged the chiefe baker, as Ioseph had interpreted vnto them. 23 Yet the chiefe butler did not remember Ioseph, but forgate him.