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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comKeil and Delitzsch Commentary - Genesis 40:16 - 40:16
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Encouraged by this favourable interpretation, the chief baker also told his dream: “I too,...in my dream: behold, baskets of white bread upon my head, and in the top basket all kinds of food for Pharaoh, pastry; and the birds ate it out of the basket from my head.” In this dream, the carrying of the baskets upon the head is thoroughly Egyptian; for, according to Herod. 2, 35, the men in Egypt carry burdens upon the head, the women upon the shoulders. And, according to the monuments, the variety of confectionary was very extensive (cf. Hengst. p. 27). In the opening words, “I too,” the baker points to the resemblance between his dream and the cup-bearer's. The resemblance was not confined to the sameness of the numbers-three baskets of white bread, and three branches of the vine-but was also seen in the fact that his official duty at the court was represented in the dream. But instead of Pharaoh taking the bread from his hand, the birds of heaven ate it out of the basket upon his head. And Joseph gave this interpretation: “The three baskets signify three days: within that time Pharaoh will take away thy head from thee (“lift up thy head,” as in Gen 40:13, but with מֵעָלֶיךְ “away from thee,” i.e., behead thee), and hang thee on the stake (thy body after execution; vid., Deu 21:22-23), and the birds will eat thy flesh from off thee.” However simple and close this interpretation of the two dreams may appear, the exact accordance with the fulfilment was a miracle wrought by God, and showed that as the dreams originated in the instigation of God, the interpretation was His inspiration also.