While Joseph remained in prison, two of Pharaoh’s high-ranking officials—the chief cupbearer and the chief baker—were also imprisoned, having offended Pharaoh. They were placed under Joseph’s care. One night, both the cupbearer and the baker had troubling dreams. When Joseph saw their downcast faces the next morning, he asked, “Why do you look so disturbed today?”
The men explained that they had each experienced vivid dreams but had no one to interpret them. Joseph, trusting in God, reassured them, “Interpretations belong to God. Tell me your dreams, and I will help you understand them.”
The cupbearer spoke first. “In my dream,” he began, “there was a vine before me. It had three branches, which budded, blossomed, and ripened into clusters of grapes. I took the grapes, squeezed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and placed the cup in his hand.”
After hearing the dream, Joseph paused as God revealed its meaning to him. “The three branches represent three days,” he explained. “Within three days, Pharaoh will restore you to your position, and you will once again place the cup in his hand, just as you did before.” Joseph then made a heartfelt request, “When you are restored, please remember me and mention my name to Pharaoh, so I may be freed from this place.”
Encouraged by the positive interpretation, the baker eagerly shared his dream. “In my dream,” he said, “I had three baskets of bread on my head. The top basket was filled with all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, but birds were eating from it.”
Joseph listened carefully, but the meaning God revealed to him was far from favorable. “The three baskets also represent three days,” Joseph said solemnly. “But in three days, Pharaoh will hang you on a tree, and the birds will eat away your flesh.”
Three days later, on Pharaoh’s birthday, he held a grand feast for all his officials. True to Joseph’s interpretations, Pharaoh restored the chief cupbearer to his position, allowing him to once again place the cup in Pharaoh’s hand. But the chief baker was hanged, just as Joseph had said.
Yet despite Joseph’s plea, the cupbearer forgot about him, and Joseph remained in prison, waiting for the day when God’s plan would unfold.
