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. [ So Joseph is in the same place as the butler and baker who had only offended the Pharaoh. Gives us an idea of who else was in this prison. These others had only made an offense. The had not been accused of raping the Pharaoh's wife. ]

2 And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, [ There's something smelly here -- in the Egyptian court there were two officers, the 'scribe of the sideboard' and the 'superintendent of the bakehouse', who are probably indicated here. They were the royal food-tasters, to make sure no one was out to poison the pharaoh. It is thought that there was a plot to kill the pharaoh, and these men were suspects. Did Potiphar place Joseph with them in order to learn from him about their culpability? Just a conjecture. The chief cupbearer and baker were prominent characters because they were very close to Pharaoh physically and would therefore have his political ear, and they were also stewards over what he ate and drank. Thus, they were prime targets for political intrigue and prime suspects when intrigue was discovered. ] against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers.

3 And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound. [ Do you see how the Lord is orchestrating all of this. ]

4 And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them: and they continued a season in ward.

5 ¶ And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream in one night, [ Each man the chief butler and the chief baker has his own dream. ] 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.

6 And Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and looked upon them, and, behold, they were sad.

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 to day? [ Now mind you he is asking this question of two guys who are locked up in jail. Can you imagine their response? Are you kidding me, look at where we are. How could anyone find any joy in such a place. Notice that Joseph does not seem to be caught up in where he is like they are. ]

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? [ Joseph ascribes his ability to interpret dreams to God, he therefore sees it as a spiritual gift that is presumably at least somewhat revelatory in nature. He makes a similar statement in 41:16. "tell me them, I pray you". What are the ways that the lord speaks to us? Interesting to note that one of the ways that the Lord speaks to us is through dreams. Are dreams often overlooked today? Pretty good dreams in the scriptures. Lehi, Nephi,.... Do we still dream or just have nightmares, how do we look at those dreams? Joseph recognizes that he has a gift from God. As a result he decides to use it. As he uses it his ability grows, and because he uses it his family is saved. Do we know what the gifts are that we are given? An if so what can /should we be doing with them? ] tell me them, I pray you. [ If these dreams came from God, something to which Joseph is well aware, then the interpretation should come from God as well through revelation right. ]

9 And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, In my dream, behold, a vine was before me;

10 And in the vine were three branches: and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes:

11 And Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand: and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand.

12 And Joseph said unto him, This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days:

13 Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thine head, and restore thee unto thy place: and thou shalt deliver Pharaoh’s cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his butler.

14  But think on me when it shall be well with thee, [ Joseph tells the butler to remember Joseph when he is freed in three days. But the butler will not remember to do as he was asked once he is out. ] and shew kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house:

15  For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews: [ Joseph doesn't know the whole story yet either...he just says he was kidnapped. ] and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.

16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said unto Joseph, I also was in my dream, and, behold, I had three white baskets on my head:

17 And in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of bakemeats for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head.

18 And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation thereof: The three baskets are three days: [ So can already imagine that in the head of the baker he see's three basket's and assumes three days and I will be free as well. But this is not the revelation given to Joseph, and Joseph does not spare the bad news with him. ]

19 Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head [ The words "lift up thy head" indicate a decapitation. The corpse of the criminal was allowed to hang exposed to public view, to become food for the birds. Such barbarism was outlawed in Hebrew law (Deut. 21:23). ] from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree; and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee.

20 ¶ And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants.

21 And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand:

22 But he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them. [ Just as Joseph had prophesied. ]

23  Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him. [ See verse 2 As the events turn out, it would seem the baker ended up being indicted in whatever intrigue was discovered and was executed, while the cupbearer was exonerated. While the cupbearer presently forgets about Joseph (v. 23), he does remember him later on in the next chapter. ]