Introduction: Joseph has twice suffered from the treachery of others.  First his brothers sold him into slavery and told their dad he had died.  Then his boss’s wife got him thrown in prison for an attack that didn’t happen.  But Joseph has again gained trust and favor through integrity and hard work.  We catch up with him “some time later.”

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4) The Baker and the Cupbearer, from Genesis 41

After years in prison, Joseph was joined by two of the king’s own servants: his baker, and his cupbearer (the man who served the king his drink).  We don’t know how they had displeased the king, but we do learn that Joseph was their manager in prison.

One night, each man had a dream that terrified him.  Joseph noticed this and asked, “Why do you look so sad today?”

“Because we’ve had dreams, but there’s no one here to interpret them.”  

(Dreams again.  This isn’t the last time they play a critical role in the plot.)

Then Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams.”

“So the chief cupbearer told Joseph his dream. He said to him, “In my dream I saw a vine in front of me, and on the vine were three branches. As soon as it budded, it blossomed, and its clusters ripened into grapes. Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes, squeezed them into Pharaoh’s cup and put the cup in his hand.”

Joseph calmed his fears: “This means that in three days you will be released from jail and restored to your position.  And when all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison.”

When the baker heard this good report, he told Joseph his dream: “On my head were three baskets of bread. In the top basket were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head.”

But Joseph did not give him a good report: “This means that in three days you will be executed.”  

On the third day – Pharaoh’s birthday – Pharaoh held a feast for his officials.  Pharaoh indeed called for the baker to be slain, and the cupbearer to return to his position, just as Joseph had said.  

But again (again!) there’s a postscript: “The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.”  So we leave Joseph, as we did before, in the king’s jail. 

Make it a great trip!

Daddio