Genesis 40:21

Easy-to-Read Version

He freed the wine server and gave him his job back, and once again the wine server put a cup of wine in Pharaoh's hand.

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
He restored the chief butler to his butlership again, and he gave the cup into Par`oh's hand;

King James Version
And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand:

Lexham English Bible
And he restored the chief cupbearer to his cupbearing position. And he placed the cup in the hand of Pharaoh.

New Century Version
The king gave his chief officer who served wine his old position, and once again he put the king's cup of wine into the king's hand.

New English Translation
He restored the chief cupbearer to his former position so that he placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand,

Amplified Bible
He restored the chief cupbearer to his office, and the cupbearer [once again] put the cup into Pharaoh's hand;

New American Standard Bible
He restored the chief cupbearer to his office, and he put the cup into Pharaoh's hand;

Geneva Bible (1587)
And he restored the chiefe butler vnto his butlershippe, who gaue the cup into Pharaohs hande,

Legacy Standard Bible
And he restored the chief cupbearer to his office, and he put the cup into Pharaoh's hand;

Contemporary English Version
He put the personal servant back in his old job

Complete Jewish Bible
He restored the chief cupbearer back to his position, so that he again gave Pharaoh his cup.

Darby Translation
And he restored the chief of the cup-bearers to his office of cup-bearer again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand.

English Standard Version
He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand.

George Lamsa Translation
And he restored the chief butler to his position; and he gave the cup into Pharaohs hands:

Good News Translation
He restored the wine steward to his former position,

Christian Standard Bible®
Pharaoh restored the chief cupbearer to his position as cupbearer, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.

Literal Translation
And he restored the chief of the cupbearers to his cupbearer office; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and restored the chefe butlar to his butlar shipe agayne, so that he reached the cuppe in to Pharaos hande.

American Standard Version
And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand:

Bible in Basic English
And he put the chief wine-servant back in his old place; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And restored the chiefe butler vnto his butlership agayne, whiche also reached the cuppe into Pharaos hande.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And he restored the chief butler back unto his butlership; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand.

King James Version (1611)
And he restored the chiefe Butler vnto his Butlership againe, and hee gaue the cup into Pharaohs hand.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And he restored the chief cupbearer to his office, and he gave the cup into Pharao’s hand.

English Revised Version
And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand:

Berean Standard Bible
Pharaoh restored the chief cupbearer to his position, so that he once again placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and he restoride the oon in to his place, that he schulde dresse cuppe to `the kyng,

Young's Literal Translation
and he putteth back the chief of the butlers to his butlership, and he giveth the cup into the hand of Pharaoh;

Update Bible Version
And he restored the chief cupbearer to be his cupbearer again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand:

Webster's Bible Translation
And he restored the chief butler to his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand:

World English Bible
He restored the chief butler to his butlership again, and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand;

New King James Version
Then he restored the chief butler to his butlership again, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand.

New Living Translation
He then restored the chief cup-bearer to his former position, so he could again hand Pharaoh his cup.

New Life Bible
He returned the head cup-carrier to his place of work and he put the cup into Pharaoh's hand.

New Revised Standard
He restored the chief cupbearer to his cupbearing, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand;

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
and restored the chief of the butlers to his butlership, so that he set the cup upon the palm of Pharaoh;

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he restored the one to his place, to present him the cup:

Revised Standard Version
He restored the chief butler to his butlership, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand;

New American Standard Bible (1995)
He restored the chief cupbearer to his office, and he put the cup into Pharaoh's hand;

Contextual Overview

²⁰ Three days later it was Pharaoh's birthday. He gave a party for all his servants. At the party Pharaoh allowed the wine server and the baker to leave the prison. ²¹ He freed the wine server and gave him his job back, and once again the wine server put a cup of wine in Pharaoh's hand. ²² But Pharaoh hanged the baker, and everything happened the way Joseph said it would. ²³ But the wine server did not remember to help Joseph. He said nothing about him to Pharaoh. The wine server forgot about Joseph.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

gave the cup: Genesis 40:13, Nehemiah 2:1

Reciprocal: Genesis 40:11 - hand Nehemiah 1:11 - For I was

Cross-References

Genesis 40:13
Before the end of three days, Pharaoh will forgive you and allow you to go back to your work. You will do the same work for Pharaoh as you did before.

Nehemiah 2:1
In the month of Nisan in the 20th year of King Artaxerxes, some wine was brought to the king. I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had never before been sad when I was with him, but now I was sad.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again,.... Put him into the same office he was in before:

and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand; ministered to him in his office the same day, according to his dream and the interpretation of it: the Targum of Jonathan adds this as a reason of his being restored,

"because he found that he was not in that counsel,''

in which it was consulted to poison Pharaoh, :-.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

- Joseph in Prison

An uncomplaining patience and an unhesitating hopefulness keep the breast of Joseph in calm tranquillity. There is a God above, and that God is with him. His soul swerves not from this feeling. Meanwhile, new and distinguished prisoners are introduced into his place of confinement.

Genesis 40:1-4

The chief butler and chief baker, high officials in Pharaoh’s court, come under the displeasure of their sovereign. “In the house of the captain of the guards.” It appears that this officer’s establishment contained the keep in which Joseph and these criminals were confined. “Charged Joseph with them.” As Joseph was his slave, and these were state prisoners, he appointed him to wait upon them. It is probable that Joseph’s character had been somewhat re-established with him during his residence in the prison.

Genesis 40:5-8

These prisoners dream, “each according to the interpretation of his dream,” the imagery of which was suited to indicate his future state. They were sad - anxious to know the meaning of these impressive dreams. “Why are your forces bad today?” Joseph keeps up his character of frank composure. “Do not interpretations belong to God?” In his past history he had learned that dreams themselves come from God. And when he adds, “Tell them now to me,” he intimates that God would enable him to interpret their dreams. Here again he uses the general name of God, which was common to him with the pagan.

Genesis 40:9-15

The chief butler now recites his dream. “Pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup.” The imagery of the dream is not intended to intimate that Pharaoh drank only the fresh juice of the grape. It only expresses by a natural figure the source of wine, and possibly the duty of the chief butler to understand and superintend the whole process of its formation. Egypt was not only a corn, but a vine country. The interpretation of this dream was very obvious and natural; yet not without a divine intimation could it be known that the “three branches were three days.” Joseph, in the quiet confidence that his interpretation would prove correct, begs the chief butler to remember him and endeavor to procure his release. “Stolen, stolen was I.” He assures him that he was not a criminal, and that his enslavement was an act of wrongful violence - a robbery by the strong hand. “From the land of the Hebrews;” a very remarkable expression, as it strongly favors the presumption that the Hebrews inhabited the country before Kenaan took possession of it. “I have not done aught.” Joseph pleads innocence, and claims liberation, not as an unmerited favor, but as a right. “The pit.” The pit without water seems to have been the primitive place of confinement for culprits.

Genesis 40:16-19

The chief baker is encouraged by this interpretation to tell his dream. “I also.” He anticipates a favorable answer, from the remarkable likeness of the dreams. “On my head.” It appears from the monuments of Egypt that it was the custom for men to carry articles on their heads. “All manner of baked meats” were also characteristic of a corn country. “Lift up thy head from upon thee.” This part of the interpretation proves its divine origin. And hang thee - thy body, after being beheaded. This was a constant warning to all beholders.

Genesis 40:20-23

The interpretations prove correct. “The birthday of Pharaoh.” It is natural and proper for men to celebrate with thanksgiving the day of their birth, as life is a pure and positive blessing. The benign Creator gives only a happy and precious form of existence to those whom he endows with the capacity of estimating its value. A birthday feast cannot be without a chief butler and a chief baker, and hence, the fate of these criminals must be promptly decided. “Lifted up the head;” a phrase of double meaning. The chief butler remembers not Joseph. This is a case of frequent occurrence in this nether world. But there is One above who does not forget him. He will deliver him at the proper time.