Genesis 40:13 - Printer Friendly

ESV: In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office, and you shall place Pharaoh’s cup in his hand as formerly, when you were his cupbearer.

NIV: Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your position, and you will put Pharaoh's cup in his hand, just as you used to do when you were his cupbearer.

NASB: within three more days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office; and you will put Pharaoh’s cup into his hand as in your former practice when you were his cupbearer.

CSB: In just three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your position. You will put Pharaoh's cup in his hand the way you used to when you were his cupbearer.

NLT: Within three days Pharaoh will lift you up and restore you to your position as his chief cup-bearer.

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

NKJV: Now within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your place, and you will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand according to the former manner, when you were his butler.

Joseph is interpreting the cupbearer's dream (Genesis 40:9–11). This man was imprisoned, along with the Egyptian king's former baker, for an unnamed crime (Genesis 40:1–3). A disturbingly vivid dream (Genesis 40:5–6) led Joseph, also jailed (Genesis 39:11–15) to offer insight into God's interpretation of the dream (Genesis 40:7–8). The cupbearer's dream depicted a three-branched vine rapidly growing grapes, which the cupbearer then pressed and gave to Pharaoh (Genesis 40:9–11).

According to Joseph, three branches in the dream represent three days (Genesis 40:12). That's how many days will pass before Pharaoh releases the cupbearer from prison and gives him his job back. Symbolically, to "lift someone's head" is to encourage or validate them. The imagery is of a person with their face down, raising their head into a more confident posture (Psalm 3:3). Pharaoh will "lift up the cupbearer's head," now hanging in shame, and restore him to his former position.

This is good news for the cupbearer—and possibly for Joseph, as well. Knowing the man will be released, and that the cupbearer is familiar with Joseph's situation, there is hope. Perhaps the soon-to-be-released man will speak well of Joseph and ask Pharaoh to free him (Genesis 40:14–15).

Genesis 40:1–23 takes place during Joseph's years in a prison, or dungeon, within the house of the captain of the guard. Two men join him there for a time and experience troubling, prophetic dreams. Joseph's interpretation reveals that the former cupbearer to Pharaoh will be restored to his old job. The former baker for Pharaoh will be executed. Both interpretations are fulfilled exactly, but Joseph is soon forgotten again.

Genesis 40 describes Joseph's interpretation of dreams for two of his fellow prisoners. Pharaoh's chief cupbearer and baker are imprisoned and experience troubling, prophetic visions. Joseph reveals the meaning of those dreams and, just as he predicts, the cupbearer is restored to his position while the baker is executed. The redeemed cupbearer, despite Joseph's plea, says nothing to Pharaoh about Joseph's situation.

Joseph remains in prison after being accused of attempted rape by Potiphar's wife (Genesis 39:11–15). The Lord blesses Joseph even in jail (Genesis 39:21–23), but he longs to get out. His chance for release comes through an opportunity to interpret the dreams of two fellow prisoners. The dreams reveal that one will be restored to his old position, while the other will be killed. Joseph pleads with the servant to be restored, asking him to to plead with Pharaoh to get Joseph released, but the man fails to do so. Two years later (Genesis 41:1), another dream requires explanation, and Joseph will finally be freed (Genesis 41:12–14).

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.