Genesis 40:5
New International Version
each of the two men—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were being held in prison—had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own.

New Living Translation
While they were in prison, Pharaoh’s cup-bearer and baker each had a dream one night, and each dream had its own meaning.

English Standard Version
And one night they both dreamed—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison—each his own dream, and each dream with its own interpretation.

Berean Standard Bible
both of these men—the Egyptian king’s cupbearer and baker, who were being held in the prison—had a dream on the same night, and each dream had its own meaning.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
Then the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, had a dream, both of them, each man’s dream in one night and each man’s dream with its own interpretation.

New American Standard Bible
Then the cupbearer and the baker for the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, both had a dream the same night, each man with his own dream and each dream with its own interpretation.

NASB 1995
Then the cupbearer and the baker for the king of Egypt, who were confined in jail, both had a dream the same night, each man with his own dream and each dream with its own interpretation.

NASB 1977
Then the cupbearer and the baker for the king of Egypt, who were confined in jail, both had a dream the same night, each man with his own dream and each dream with its own interpretation.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then the cupbearer and the baker for the king of Egypt, who were confined in jail, both had a dream the same night, each man with his own dream and each dream with its own interpretation.

Amplified Bible
Then the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, both dreamed a dream in the same night, each man with his [own significant] dream and each dream with its [personal] interpretation.

Christian Standard Bible
The king of Egypt’s cupbearer and baker, who were confined in the prison, each had a dream. Both had a dream on the same night, and each dream had its own meaning.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The Egyptian king’s cupbearer and baker, who were confined in the prison, each had a dream. Both had a dream on the same night, and each dream had its own meaning.

American Standard Version
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, who were bound in the prison.

Contemporary English Version
One night each of the two men had a dream, but their dreams had different meanings.

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
both prisoners-the cupbearer and the baker for the king of Egypt-had dreams one night. Each man had a dream with its own special meaning.

Good News Translation
One night there in prison the wine steward and the chief baker each had a dream, and the dreams had different meanings.

International Standard Version
Then 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.

Majority Standard Bible
both of these men—the Egyptian king’s cupbearer and baker, who were being held in the prison—had a dream on the same night, and each dream had its own meaning.

NET Bible
Both of them, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, had a dream the same night. Each man's dream had its own meaning.

New Heart English Bible
And the cupbearer and the baker for the king of Egypt, who were confined in jail, both had a dream the same night, and each dream had its own meaning.

Webster's Bible Translation
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, who were bound in the prison.

World English Bible
They both dreamed a dream, each man his dream, in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the cup bearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were bound in the prison.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And they dream a dream both of them, each his dream in one night, each according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker whom the king of Egypt has, who [are] prisoners in the round-house.

Young's Literal Translation
And they dream a dream both of them, each his dream in one night, each according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker whom the king of Egypt hath, who are prisoners in the round-house.

Smith's Literal Translation
And they will dream a dream, they two, a man his dream in one night, a man according to the interpretation of his dream; the cup-bearer and the baker which were to the king of Egypt, who were bound in the house of the fortress.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And they both dreamed a dream the same night, according to the interpretation agreeing to themselves:

Catholic Public Domain Version
And they both saw a similar dream on one night, whose interpretations should be related to one another.

New American Bible
the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt who were confined in the jail both had dreams on the same night, each his own dream and each dream with its own meaning.

New Revised Standard Version
One night they both dreamed—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison—each his own dream, and each dream with its own meaning.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And they both dreamed, each man his own dream in the same night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were bound in the prison.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And they dreamed a dream, both men his dream in the night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the Butler and the Baker of the King of Egypt, who were imprisoned in the house of prisoners.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
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, who were bound in the prison.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And they both had a dream in one night; and the vision of the dream of the chief cupbearer and chief baker, who belonged to the king of Egypt, who were in the prison, was this.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Cupbearer and the Baker
4The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he became their personal attendant. After they had been in custody for some time, 5both of these men— the Egyptian king’s cupbearer and baker, who were being held in the prison had a dream on the same night, and each dream had its own meaning. 6When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were distraught.…

Cross References
Daniel 2:1-3
In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams that troubled his spirit, and sleep escaped him. / So the king gave orders to summon the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers to explain his dreams. When they came and stood before the king, / he said to them, “I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to understand it.”

Daniel 4:5-9
I had a dream, and it frightened me; while I was in my bed, the images and visions in my mind alarmed me. / So I issued a decree that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret the dream for me. / When the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and diviners came in, I told them the dream, but they could not interpret it for me. ...

Judges 7:13-15
And as Gideon arrived, a man was telling his friend about a dream. “Behold, I had a dream,” he said, “and I saw a loaf of barley bread come tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent so hard that the tent overturned and collapsed.” / His friend replied: “This is nothing less than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has delivered Midian and the whole camp into his hand.” / When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship. He returned to the camp of Israel and said, “Get up, for the LORD has delivered the camp of Midian into your hand.”

1 Kings 3:5
One night at Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “Ask, and I will give it to you!”

Daniel 7:1-2
In the first year of the reign of Belshazzar over Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions passed through his mind as he lay on his bed. He wrote down the dream, and this is the summary of his account. / Daniel declared: “In my vision in the night I looked, and suddenly the four winds of heaven were churning up the great sea.

Daniel 2:19
During the night, the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision, and he blessed the God of heaven

Daniel 2:45
And just as you saw a stone being cut out of the mountain without human hands, and it shattered the iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold, so the great God has told the king what will happen in the future. The dream is true, and its interpretation is trustworthy.”

Daniel 4:18
This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because none of the wise men of my kingdom can interpret it for me. But you are able, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”

Matthew 1:20
But after he had pondered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to embrace Mary as your wife, for the One conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 2:12-13
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they withdrew to their country by another route. / When the Magi had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up!” he said. “Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the Child to kill Him.”

Matthew 27:19
While Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message: “Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered terribly in a dream today because of Him.”

Acts 10:10-16
He became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. / He saw heaven open and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. / It contained all kinds of four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth, as well as birds of the air. ...

Acts 16:9-10
During the night, Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” / As soon as Paul had seen the vision, we got ready to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

Acts 18:9-10
One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking; do not be silent. / For I am with you and no one will lay a hand on you, because I have many people in this city.”

Acts 23:11
The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about Me in Jerusalem, so also you must testify in Rome.”


Treasury of Scripture

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.

A.

Genesis 40:8
And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you.

Genesis 12:1-7
Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: …

Genesis 20:3
But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife.

Jump to Previous
Baker Bound Bread-Maker Butler Chief Confined Cupbearer Cup-Bearer Dream Dreamed Dreams Egypt Held Imprisoned Interpretation Jail Meaning Night Prison Prisoners Round-House Wine-Servant
Jump to Next
Baker Bound Bread-Maker Butler Chief Confined Cupbearer Cup-Bearer Dream Dreamed Dreams Egypt Held Imprisoned Interpretation Jail Meaning Night Prison Prisoners Round-House Wine-Servant
Genesis 40
1. The chief butler and baker of Pharaoh are also imprisoned.
5. Joseph interprets their dreams.
20. They are accomplished according to his interpretation.
23. The ingratitude of the butler, in forgetting Joseph.














the cupbearer and the baker
These two individuals held significant positions within the royal court of Egypt. The cupbearer was responsible for serving wine to the king, a role that required immense trust, as he protected the king from being poisoned. The baker, likewise, was entrusted with preparing food for the king. Their presence in the narrative highlights the importance of trust and loyalty in positions of service. Historically, these roles were not only about serving food and drink but also involved being close confidants to the king, which underscores the gravity of their imprisonment.

of the king of Egypt
This phrase situates the narrative within the Egyptian monarchy, a powerful and influential civilization in the ancient world. The king, or Pharaoh, was considered a god-like figure, wielding absolute power. The mention of the king of Egypt emphasizes the high stakes of the situation, as any offense against the king could lead to severe consequences. This context sets the stage for understanding the gravity of the cupbearer and baker's imprisonment and the divine intervention that follows.

who were confined in the prison
The confinement of these two officials in prison suggests a fall from grace and a period of testing. In the ancient world, imprisonment was often a precursor to judgment or punishment. This setting serves as a backdrop for God's providential work through Joseph, who is also in prison. The prison becomes a place of divine revelation and transformation, illustrating how God can work in the most unlikely circumstances.

both had a dream on the same night
Dreams in the ancient Near East were often seen as messages from the divine. The fact that both the cupbearer and the baker had dreams on the same night suggests a coordinated divine message. This simultaneity underscores the importance of the dreams and sets the stage for Joseph's role as an interpreter, highlighting God's sovereignty and timing in orchestrating events for His purposes.

and each dream had its own meaning
This phrase indicates that the dreams were not random or meaningless but carried specific messages. In the biblical narrative, dreams often serve as a means of divine communication, revealing God's plans and purposes. The distinct meanings of each dream point to the individualized nature of God's communication and His attention to detail in the lives of individuals. This sets the stage for Joseph's interpretation, which will reveal God's wisdom and foresight.

Verse 5. - And they dreamed a dream both of them (on dreams cf. Genesis 20:3), each man his dream in one night (this was the first remarkable circumstance connected with these dreams - they both happened the same night), each man according to the interpretation of his dream (i.e. each dream corresponded exactly, as the event proved, to the interpretation put on it by Joseph, which was a second remarkable circumstance, inasmuch as it showed the dreams to be no vain hallucinations of the mind, but Divinely-sent foreshadowings of the future fortunes of the dreamers), the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, which were bound in the prison.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
both
שְׁנֵיהֶ֜ם (šə·nê·hem)
Number - mdc | third person masculine plural
Strong's 8147: Two (a cardinal number)

of these men—
אִ֤ישׁ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 582: Man, mankind

the Egyptian
מִצְרַ֔יִם (miṣ·ra·yim)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4714: Egypt -- a son of Ham, also his descendants and their country in Northwest Africa

king’s
לְמֶ֣לֶךְ (lə·me·leḵ)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4428: A king

cupbearer
הַמַּשְׁקֶ֣ה (ham·maš·qeh)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4945: Causing to drink, a butler, drink, a well-watered region

and baker,
וְהָאֹפֶ֗ה (wə·hā·’ō·p̄eh)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 644: To cook, to bake

who
אֲשֶׁר֙ (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

were being held
אֲסוּרִ֖ים (’ă·sū·rîm)
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine plural
Strong's 631: To yoke, hitch, to fasten, to join battle

in the prison—
בְּבֵ֥ית (bə·ḇêṯ)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1004: A house

had a dream
וַיַּֽחַלְמוּ֩ (way·ya·ḥal·mū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 2492: To bind firmly, to be, plump, to dream

on the same
אֶחָ֔ד (’e·ḥāḏ)
Number - masculine singular
Strong's 259: United, one, first

night,
בְּלַ֣יְלָה (bə·lay·lāh)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3915: A twist, night, adversity

and each dream
חֲלֹמ֑וֹ (ḥă·lō·mōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 2472: A dream

had its own meaning.
כְּפִתְר֣וֹן (kə·p̄iṯ·rō·wn)
Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6623: Interpretation


Links
Genesis 40:5 NIV
Genesis 40:5 NLT
Genesis 40:5 ESV
Genesis 40:5 NASB
Genesis 40:5 KJV

Genesis 40:5 BibleApps.com
Genesis 40:5 Biblia Paralela
Genesis 40:5 Chinese Bible
Genesis 40:5 French Bible
Genesis 40:5 Catholic Bible

OT Law: Genesis 40:5 They both dreamed a dream each man (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 40:4
Top of Page
Top of Page