Joseph was falsely imprisoned for Potiphar’s wife’s claims. Pharaoh’s chief cupbearer and chief baker committed an offense against Pharaoh. He put them in the custody of the captain of the guard over the prison where Joseph was being held (40:3). The prison guard put Joseph over them, and he attended them. They both dreamed separate dreams that troubled each of them. When Joseph saw that they were troubled he asked them why they were downcast, and they said they were downcast because they had dreams and no one could interpret them. Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me.” Dream #1 – The Cupbearer’s Dream of Grape Juice for Pharaoh The cupbearer told Joseph his dream. There was a vine before him with three branches, and as soon as it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and the clusters ripened into grapes. Pharaoh’s cup was in his hand, and he took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup and put the cup in Pharaoh’s hand. Interpretation #1 – The Cupbearer’s Restoration Joseph told him that the three branches equate to three days, and that in three days Pharaoh would lift up the cupbearer’s head and restore him to his office, and he will resume his cupbearing responsibilities before the king. Joseph then made a request, “Only remember me, when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house. For I was indeed stolen out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the pit.” Seeing that Joseph garnered more favor than other slaves under Potiphar, and that now he was being shown more favor by the prison guard can cloud our vision of Joseph’s real condition. He was a suffering man. This was not some journey of comfort. He was a slave, and now he was a prisoner. This has been a terrible trial for him. Dream #2 – The Baker’s Dream, Birds Eating Out of the Top of 3 Baskets on His Head The baker saw that the cupbearer’s interpretation was favorable, so he asked Joseph to interpret his dream too. He described his dream; there were three cake baskets on his head, and in the top basket there were a variety of baked foods for Pharaoh, but birds were eating it out of the basket. Interpretation #2 – The Baker’s Demise Joseph told him that the three baskets are three days, and in three days Pharaoh would lift up his head from him, and he would hang on a tree, and birds would eat his flesh off. The third day came around, and it happened to be Pharaoh’s birthday. He made a feast for the servants and did exactly as Joseph interpreted the cupbearer and the baker’s dreams. Then Moses notes that despite Joseph’s right interpretation, the cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.
Just because present circumstances are dire that doesn’t mean that God is not orchestrating events for our good and His glory. God is using Joseph’s faithfulness to Him in this time to bring about his deliverance. What is immediately forgettable by the cupbearer will not always be the case, because God is bringing His perfect plan to come to pass.