Hello! Welcome to today’s bible study on Genesis 40 where we will read about Joseph interpreting his fellow prisoners’ dreams. According to Bible scholars, the events of Genesis 40 took place in 1887 B.C. approximately.
I encourage you to turn to Genesis 40 in your Bible. Kindly invite the Holy Spirit to guide you as you read and study Genesis 40. I mention this in all the Bible Studies because it is only through the Holy Spirit that we get fresh revelation and knowledge to understand the word of God. No one else can teach you better than the Holy Spirit Himself. I am using the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible, just in case you want to know.
In the Bible Study on Genesis 39, we read about Joseph’s slavery in Potiphar’s household. He was the overseer at his house and he was falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife of assault and was thrown in prison. In today’s Bible study on Genesis 40 we will read about the prisoners’ dreams and Joseph’s interpretation of their dreams.
Backstory on Genesis 39: Joseph was a slave, yet he was promoted as an overseer in Potiphar’s house because the Lord prospered Joseph in everything he did. Potiphar on seeing God’s favour on Joseph made him overseer of his household. Everything in his house was under Joseph’s administration and Potiphar was aware only of the food that he ate. Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce Joseph to lie with her and he refused. She falsely blamed Joseph and Potiphar threw him in prison. Joseph prospered also in prison because of the Lord and the prison keeper gave all the prisoners under Joseph’s authority. Everything that happened in the prison was under Joseph’s overseeing.
Without any further delay, let us study together Genesis Chapter 40, shall we?
Genesis 40 Summary
The chief butler and baker of Egypt offended Pharaoh, and he threw them into prison where Joseph was confined, under the custody of the prison guard. The prison guard put them under Joseph’s charge. Joseph served them while they were held in custody.
The chief butler and baker both had dreams while in prison. When Joseph saw them in the morning, he noticed that they were sad. He asked them why, and they told him about their dreams, complaining that there was no one to interpret them. Joseph assured them that interpreting dreams is a gift from the Lord and encouraged them to share their dreams with him.
The chief butler told Joseph about his dream where he saw a vine with three branches that budded, blossomed, and produced ripe grapes. He also saw himself taking the grapes, pressing them into Pharaoh’s cup, and then placing the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.
Joseph interpreted the dream, explaining that the three branches represented three days. He told the chief butler that within three days, Pharaoh would lift up his head and restore him to his position, and he would once again place Pharaoh’s cup in his hand as he did before. Joseph asked the chief butler to remember him when this happened, to show him kindness, and to mention his name to Pharaoh in order to get him out of prison because he had been unfairly taken away from his land and was in prison for no wrongdoing.
When the chief baker saw that the Joseph’s dream interpretation for the chief butler was favorable, he was encouraged and then shared his dream with Joseph. He said he saw three white baskets on his head, with the topmost basket filled with baked goods for Pharaoh, which were being eaten by birds from the basket on his head. Joseph interpreted the dream and told him that the basket represented three days, and within that time, Pharaoh would hang the baker on a tree and the birds would eat his flesh.
On the third day, after Joseph interpreted the dreams of the chief baker and butler, it was Pharaoh’s birthday. Pharaoh held a feast for all his servants. He reinstated the chief butler to his position and hanged the chief baker, just as Joseph had interpreted. However, the chief butler forgot about Joseph and did not mention him to Pharaoh as Joseph had asked.
Genesis 40 Commentary
1. Genesis 40:12-18
God was preparing Joseph for his promotion by allowing him to interpret dreams. The focus was not on the chief butler or baker themselves. The dreams were given so that God could interpret them through Joseph. Joseph didn’t interpret the dreams of just any ordinary prisoner; he interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh’s chief officers (who were close to Pharaoh), one of whom was restored to his former position.
2. Genesis 40:16
The chief baker didn’t realize that his dream was different from the chief butler’s. He assumed that Joseph would only provide positive interpretations and that his own dream would be interpreted favorably. However, he forgot that Joseph had stated that all interpretations come from God.
3. Genesis 40:23
Even though the chief butler forgot Joseph, the events concerning Joseph’s life had begun to change, despite the appearance of everything staying the same.
Genesis 40 Lessons
1. No matter your situation, God always has a way out and a plan
Even though Joseph was in prison, God used him to interpret dreams. Joseph was accustomed to God speaking to him through his dreams. It all began with Joseph’s own dreams, which caused his brothers to hate him. However, God used this hatred to ultimately benefit Joseph, promoting him through the interpretation of dreams, which his brothers despised. Therefore, always trust in the Lord, knowing that He always has a way out for you. You just need to be obedient, to listen to His instructions, and to do what He asks of you.
2. Even though thing seem stagnant, God is working behind the scenes
The chief butler, through Joseph’s interpretation of his dreams, was restored to his former position but he forgot about Joseph and didn’t say a word about him to Pharaoh. Joseph’s circumstances were already beginning to change, even though nothing seemed to have happened externally because the butler forgot to mention Joseph. Joseph had fulfilled his seemingly small part of dream interpretation for the baker and butler, and now it was up to God to rescue Joseph, which He indeed did, as we will read in the upcoming chapters.
Just because you don’t see any change on the outside, don’t give up on your faith. Keep at it, keep trusting God, and keep seeking God. We are to do our part to the fullest, as Joseph did, and God will do the rest, as we will see in Joseph’s story.
3. When God tells you something, it comes to pass
Joseph’s interpretations of both the dreams came true in the lives of the chief butler and chief baker, even though they were pagans and non-believers. They did not have a covenant with God, but Joseph’s interpretations confirmed that their dreams were indeed given by God.
4. God will align things in your favour
God aligned circumstances in such a way that it brought Joseph in close contact with Pharaoh’s officers, first Potiphar, next the chief butler and baker. In the same way, God will bring you opportunities and align things in your favour to promote you if you are patient and keep trusting God while you are waiting.
Conclusion
This concludes the bible study lesson on Genesis 40. I hope you enjoyed this free bible study and found it helpful in your Bible study journey. Feel free to share it with others. Also, share your thoughts about it and what the Holy Spirit has revealed to you about Genesis 40. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below. I will get back to you as soon as I can.
What are your thoughts about Genesis 40?
Until next time!