Paul Kretzmann Commentary - Genesis 40:1 - 40:8

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Paul Kretzmann Commentary - Genesis 40:1 - 40:8


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The Dreams of the two Prisoners

v. 1. And it came to pass after these things that the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker had offended their lord, the king of Egypt. Joseph was in prison a number of years, since he was only seventeen at the time of his involuntary trip to Egypt and thirty at the time of his release. But while he was still a prisoner, although one with unusual privileges, the chief butler and the chief baker of Pharaoh were cast into the state prison for some offense against the king.

v. 2. And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers and against the chief of the bakers.

v. 3. And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, in to the prison, the place where Joseph was bound.
They were committed to the care of Potiphar, the chief officer of Pharaoh's body-guard who was incidentally the chief executioner, and Potiphar promptly had them transferred to the prison, in charge of the king's jailer.

v. 4. And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them; and they continued a season in ward.
Since the prisoners were men of distinction, Potiphar personally arranged for both their safe-keeping and comfort and once more showed favor to Joseph by giving them into his special charge and making him their attendant.

v. 5. And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, which were bound in the prison.
It was in the same night that both men dreamed, each one a different dream with a special significance, both as to the incident upon which it was founded and as to the interpretation which it received.

v. 6. And Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and looked upon them, and, behold, they were sad.
It was not the mere curiosity of the privileged servant that caused Joseph to take note of their attitude, but a real, kindly sympathy.

v. 7. And he asked Pharaoh's officers that were with him in the ward of his lord's house, saying, Wherefore look ye so sadly today?
Uneasy forebodings had stamped their faces with a look of worry and ill-humor.

v. 8. And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it.
The interpretation of dreams, which were in those days considered omens for good or evil, was in the hands of a special class of men who derived profit from their work. The prisoners were unable to consult such a person with regard to their dreams, and that worried them, made them sullen. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me them, I pray you. He reminded them of the fact that God, who sends significant dreams, is the only one that can furnish authentic interpretations; but he intimated, at the same time, that the gift of interpretation might be found with him, for he must have known that the Lord revealed things to him in this manner. Christians will neither attach an undue significance to dreams, nor will they ridicule the idea that God, even now, may reveal matters to men in this manner.