Pharaoh’s Two Servants

1Some time later, both the senior security advisora to the king of Egypt and his head chefb offended their master, Egypt’s king. 2Pharaoh was so angry with his two officers—his senior security advisor and his head chef— 3that he locked them up in the prison dungeon operated by the captain of the guard, the very place where Joseph was imprisoned. 4The captain of the guard entrusted them to Joseph’s custody, who took care of them, since they were to remain there in custody for a number of days.

5Then the two of them each had a dream. They both had their dreams the same night, and there were separate interpretations for each dream—the senior security advisor and the head chef to the king of Egypt, who had confined them in prison. 6When Joseph came to see them in the morning, he noticed how downcast they looked! They were both very sad. 7So he asked Pharaoh’s officers, who were with him in prison in his master’s house, “Why are you so sad today?”

8“We had a dream,” they replied, “but there’s no one to interpret it.”

“Interpretations belong to God,” Joseph told them, “so please tell me your stories.”

The Security Advisor’s Dream

9So the senior security advisor related his dream to Joseph. “In my dream,” he said, “all of a sudden there was a vine in front of me! 10On the vine were three branches that budded. Blossoms shot out, and clusters grew up that produced ripe grapes. 11Then, with Pharaoh’s cup in my hand, I took the grapes, squeezed them into Pharaoh’s cup, then handed the cup directly to Pharaoh.”

12Then Joseph told him, “This is what your dream means:c The three branches are three days. 13Within three days, Pharaoh will encourage youd and return you to your responsibilities. You’ll attend to Pharaoh’s personal wine cup, just as you did when you were his senior security advisor. 14But keep me in mind when things go well for you. Be sure to extend kindness to me by remembering me to Pharaoh. Bring me out of this prison,e 15because I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews. Not only that, I haven’t done anything that deserves me being confined to this pit.”

The Head Chef’s Dream

16When the head chef heard that the interpretation was good, he told Joseph, “I was also in my dream. All of a sudden, there were three baskets with white bread stacked on top of my head. 17There was all kinds of food in the basket that was on top, including baked food for Pharaoh. The birds were eating them from the basket on my head.”

18Joseph replied, “This is what your dream means:f The three baskets are also three days. 19Within three more days, Pharaoh will behead you and hang you on gallows,g where birds will eat your flesh from you.”

The Dreams are Fulfilled

20On the third day, which just happened to be Pharaoh’s birthday, he threw a party for all his servants. He lifted the head of both his senior security advisor and of his head chef in front of his servants— 21that is, he restored his senior security advisor to his former responsibilities, including attending to Pharaoh’s personal wine cup, 22but he beheaded andh hanged the head chef, just as Joseph had interpreted for them. 23Despite all of this, the senior security advisor not only didn’t remember Joseph, he deliberately forgot him.