Genesis 40- The Butler and the Baker


1 And it came to pass after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker had offended their lord the king of Egypt.

“Butler” means “to give to drink.” He was the man in charge of Pharaoh’s water and wine supply and was responsible for serving the Pharaoh directly. He probably tasted the wine beforehand to make sure it wasn’t poisoned. The Baker was in charge of making bread products.

We have no clue why Pharaoh was mad at them (legend says the butler served a glass of wine with a fly in it and the baker served a loaf of bread with a stone in it). It may have been something trivial or serious; there is no way to know.

2 And Pharaoh was angry with two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers.

The word “Pharaoh” means “The Great House.” It was a title, not a name. In fact, the citizens of Egypt never referred to their ruler by name but always by the term “The Great House.”

3 And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound.

4 And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them: and they continued a season in ward.

Unless something has happened that the Bible doesn’t tell us about, the captain of the guard was Potiphar, the one who had imprisoned Joseph in the first place (Genesis 39:1). Had he had a change of heart? If he had, he couldn’t do anything about it because it would hurt his marriage.

“A season” is believed to mean a year.

5 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, which were bound in the prison.

6 And Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and looked upon them, and, behold, they were sad.

7 And he asked Pharaoh's officers that were with him in the ward of his lord's house, saying, “Why look ye so sadly today?”

8 And 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.”

Have you ever had a dream that you just knew meant something but you couldn’t figure out what it was? I certainly have. But God understands all dreams and when they are a message from Him (and not from the pizza you had for supper the night before) He will make sure you get the interpretation you need.

9 And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, “In my dream, behold, a vine was before me;

10 “And in the vine were three branches: and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes:

11 “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.”

12 And Joseph said unto him, “This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days:

13 “Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thine head, and restore thee unto thy place: and thou shall deliver Pharaoh's cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou was his butler.

14 “But think on me 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:

15 “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.”

Pretty straight forward dream and interpretation. Three branches equals three days and the action is direct: the butler will serve Pharaoh his wine again.

Joseph makes a point of asking for a return of favor. It is OK to seek a better position and a righting of the wrongs even when you are being persecuted for your righteousness.

16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said unto Joseph, “I also was in my dream, and, behold, I had three white baskets on my head:

17 “And in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of [breads] for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head.”

18 And Joseph answered and said, “This is the interpretation thereof: The three baskets are three days:

19 “Yet within 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.”

I am sure that wasn’t the news the baker was looking for.

20 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.

21 And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand:

22 But he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them.

Both interpretations came true.

23 Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgot him.

In the business of being back on the job the butler neglected to do what he had promised.