The Cupbearer and the Baker

1Some time later, the king’s cupbearer and baker offended their master, the king of Egypt (land of bondage). 2Pharaoh (great house) was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, 3and imprisoned them in the house of the captain of the guard, the same prison where Joseph (YHWH has added) was confined. 4The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph (YHWH has added), and he became their personal attendant.

After they had been in custody for some time, 5both of these men—the Egyptian (double straits) king’s cupbearer and baker, who were being held in the prison—had a dream on the same night, and each dream had its own meaning.

6When Joseph (YHWH has added) came to them in the morning, he saw that they were distraught. 7So he asked the officials of Pharaoh (great house) who were in custody with him in his master’s house, “Why are your⁺ faces so downcast today?”

8“We both had dreams,” they replied, “but there is no one to interpret them.”

Then Joseph (YHWH has added) said to them, “Don’t interpretations belong to God {Elohim}? Tell me your dreams.”

9So the chief cupbearer told Joseph (YHWH has added) his dream: “In my dream there was a vine before me, 10and on the vine were three branches. As it budded, its blossoms opened and its clusters ripened into grapes. 11Pharaoh’s (great house) cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes, squeezed them into his cup, and placed the cup in his hand.”

12Joseph (YHWH has added) replied, “This is the interpretation: The three branches are three days. 13Within three days Pharaoh (great house) will lift up your head and restore your position. You will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you did when you were his cupbearer. 14But when it goes well for you, please remember me and show me kindness by mentioning me to Pharaoh (great house), that he might bring me out of this prison. 15For I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews (those from beyond), and even here I have done nothing for which they should have put me in this dungeon.”

16When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was favorable, he said to Joseph (YHWH has added), “I too had a dream: There were three baskets of white bread on my head. 17In the top basket were all sorts of baked goods for Pharaoh (great house), but the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head.”

18Joseph (YHWH has added) replied, “This is the interpretation: The three baskets are three days. 19Within three days Pharaoh (great house) will lift off your head and hang you on a tree (impale you on a pole).a Then the birds will eat the flesh of your body.”

20On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s (great house) birthday, he held a feast for all his officials, and in their presence he lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker. 21Pharaoh restored the chief cupbearer to his position, so that he once again placed the cup in Pharaoh’s (great house) hand. 22But Pharaoh hanged the chief baker, just as Joseph (YHWH has added) had described to them in his interpretation \had interpreted to them/.b

23The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph (YHWH has added); he forgot all about him.