Genesis 40

         Verse 1: The term “butler” means “cup bearer of the king.” God uses these two men, the butler and the baker, to set the stage for the next phase of Joseph’s life in Egypt. Had Joseph not ended up in prison, he would likely have never encountered these two men, and, thus, wouldn’t have an audience with Pharaoh in the next chapter.
 
         Verse 4: Joseph isn’t just put in charge of all the prisoners. He’s also in charge of all the administrative affairs of the whole prison. This is what is meant in verse 23 of chapter 39, and it’s restated here as well.  Such a promotion in such a short amount of time is further proof that God was indeed with Joseph, as verse 23 states, blessing him and watching over him.
 
         Verses 5-8: After some time, the butler and baker each have a different dream in the same night, and they are both troubled about this the next morning. Their distress is outwardly evident, for Joseph takes notice of their sadness during his morning rounds, and he asks them why they look so sad. (v.7) They tell Joseph of their unusual dreams and that they don’t understand the meaning of them. The fact that these two men understand the uniqueness of their respective dreams, and that there is a message for each of them in them, is not unusual for this time period. While the Egyptians were heathens who did not worship God, they understood that dreams were a method of communication from the supernatural realm, as we will see later in the next chapter with Pharaoh.
          God used their own superstition and false beliefs to His honor and glory through Joseph. This is evident in Joseph’s response to the men at the end of verse 8: “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me them, I pray you.” Joseph gave God the honor and glory, no matter what circumstance he found himself in. He rightfully understood that his gift of interpreting dreams was not his own, and he used his gift to show God to these heathen people.
 
          Verses 9-15: The butler goes first. In his dream there is a vine with three branches, and it brings forth an abundance of grapes. The butler presses the grapes into wine to fill the king’s cup which he then gives to Pharaoh. Joseph explains that the three branches represent three days, and that, in that time, Pharaoh will restore the butler to his former position in the court. Joseph then asks the butler to remember him when he is before Pharaoh, to put in a good word on his behalf. He gives a brief account of how he ended up in Egypt as a slave, and that he had been punished unjustly by Potiphar. Joseph uses the phrase “shew kindness” in verse 14, the same that was used by Abraham of Sarah in Genesis 20:13. Joseph is asking a favor of the butler in return for the good deed that he is doing now by interpreting the dream. This is also the same meaning of the phrase “shewed him mercy” in verse 21 of the previous chapter. God was rewarding Joseph’s trust and obedience in Him by granting Joseph favor in the sight of the jailer.
 
         Verses 16-19: The baker, excited by the interpretation of the good outcome of the butler’s dream is eager to tell Joseph his dream. He is carrying three baskets upon his head, each filled with many baked goods and bread for the Pharaoh. But the birds came and ate up all the food in the baskets. Joseph explains that the baskets represent three days, and that the baker will be hanged in that time. The birds would eat the baker’s flesh as it hung on the tree.
        There is something interesting to note here. There is no indication in these verses that Joseph hesitates to tell the baker the meaning of his dream, nor does Joseph equivocate or try to sugar coat the bad news. He tells it simply and plainly, keeping nothing back from the baker. Again, Joseph does not question God’s gift of interpreting dreams, nor does he show a lack of faith or fear of his own fate with regards to giving bad news to the recipient of God’s prophecy. Joseph trusts God to the point that he’s not at all concerned with the possible consequences of the baker’s reaction against him for delivering such terrible news!
          And, indeed, there is no record of what the baker’s reaction was to this awful revelation. Perhaps the baker had landed in prison for a just reason, and he knew that his sentence of death was deserved for whatever transgression he had committed against Pharaoh. And perhaps the butler had been unjustly accused, just as Joseph had been, and that was why he was eventually restored to his former position. We can’t say for certain either way, only that Joseph’s faith and trust in God was justified. The baker brought no harm to him after hearing such terrible news.

         Verses 20-23: Just as Joseph predicted, the butler is restored to his former position in Pharaoh’s court where he resumes his customary duties of serving Pharaoh wine on his birthday, but Pharaoh hangs the chief baker. Unfortunately for Joseph, however, the butler makes no mention of him to Pharaoh, forgetting about Joseph and his kindness altogether.
 
         Once again, it seems God has caused Joseph to be forgotten and has left him languishing in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. But, as with all things regarding God and his timing, patience is key. Joseph continues his daily duties in the administration of the prison, and is content to wait upon God for deliverance, no matter when that might be or how it might come about.