Genesis 40:23 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.

NIV: The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.

NASB: Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.

CSB: Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.

NLT: Pharaoh’s chief cup-bearer, however, forgot all about Joseph, never giving him another thought.

KJV: Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him.

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

This verse lands like a thud at the end of the chapter. Joseph was wrongfully imprisoned (Genesis 39:11–15), and there met two former employees of Egypt's ruler, Pharaoh (Genesis 40:1–4). When the two men had vivid, prophetic dreams, Joseph was able to interpret them through the power of God (Genesis 40:5–8). One of the men, the baker, had a dream which predicted his impending death (Genesis 40:16–19). The other, the cupbearer, dreamt about his future restoration (Genesis 40:12–13). Both fates came about exactly as Joseph had said (Genesis 40:20–22).

When Joseph successfully interpreted the cupbearer's dream, he pleaded with the man to remember him. Knowing he was falsely accused, Joseph asks the man to put in a good word for him to Pharaoh (Genesis 40:14–15). Joseph desperately wanted to be released from prison for a crime he did not commit. This is not a lack of trust on Joseph's part, but a sensible response to a good opportunity.

Despite everything Joseph predicted coming true, by God's revelation, down to the smallest detail, the chief cupbearer was not impressed enough to pass along Joseph's plea. He does not tell of his experience with Joseph until years later (Genesis 41:1, 9). The concept of "forgetting," in English, almost always implies a complete lack of awareness. When someone literally "forgets" a thing, they have no memory of it. However, the Hebrew root word shakach also includes the idea of ignoring something or setting it aside (Genesis 27:45; Job 19:14; Psalm 31:12; Ecclesiastes 9:15).

In this case, it is a deliberate "forgetting" which comes from the cupbearer. He does not lose memory of what happened, but he chooses to say nothing. Perhaps he is afraid to stir up any more controversy. He may have felt that asking anything of Pharaoh, in that moment, would have been too audacious.

Joseph would remain forgotten in prison for another two years (Genesis 41:1). Though God was with Joseph and blessed him, Joseph's circumstances continued to be very difficult. God had not forgotten him, though, and God's plan for Joseph and Israel continued according to His own schedule (Genesis 45:5; 50:20).

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.