Genesis 40:7

World English Bible

He asked Pharaoh's officers who were with him in custody in his master's house, saying, "Why do you look so sad today?"

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
He asked Par`oh's officers who were with him in custody in his master's house, saying, "Why do you look so sad today?"

King James Version
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?

Lexham English Bible
And he asked the court officials of Pharaoh that were with him in the custody of his master's house, "Why are your faces sad today?"

New Century Version
He asked the king's officers who were with him, "Why do you look so unhappy today?"

New English Translation
So he asked Pharaoh's officials, who were with him in custody in his master's house, "Why do you look so sad today?"

Amplified Bible
So he asked Pharaoh's officials who were in confinement with him in his master's house, "Why do you look so down-hearted today?"

New American Standard Bible
So he asked Pharaoh's officials who were with him in confinement in his master's house, "Why are your faces so sad today?"

Geneva Bible (1587)
And he asked Pharaohs officers, that were with him in his masters warde, saying, Wherefore looke ye so sadly to day?

Legacy Standard Bible
So he asked Pharaoh's officials who were with him in confinement in his master's house, saying, "Why are your faces so sad today?"

Contemporary English Version
and he asked, "Why are you so worried today?"

Complete Jewish Bible
He asked Pharaoh's officers there with him in the prison of his master's house, "Why are you looking so sad today?"

Darby Translation
And he asked Pharaoh's chamberlains that were with him in custody in his lord's house, saying, Why are your faces [so] sad to-day?

Easy-to-Read Version
He asked them, "Why do you look so worried today?"

English Standard Version
So he asked Pharaoh's officers who were with him in custody in his master's house, "Why are your faces downcast today?"

George Lamsa Translation
So he asked Pharaohs officers who were with him in the prison of his masters house, saying, Why do you look so sad today?

Good News Translation
He asked them, "Why do you look so worried today?"

Christian Standard Bible®
So he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were in custody with him in his master’s house, “Why do you look so sad today?”

Literal Translation
And he asked the eunuchs of Pharaoh who were with him in custody, in the house of his lord, saying, Why are your faces sad today?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Why loke ye so sadly to daye?

American Standard Version
And he asked Pharaoh's officers that were with him in ward in his master's house, saying, Wherefore look ye so sad to-day?

Bible in Basic English
And he said to the servants of Pharaoh who were in prison with him, Why are you looking so sad?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And he asked Pharaos chiefe officers that were with hym in his maisters warde, saying: Wherfore loke ye so sadlye to day?

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And he asked Pharaoh's officers that were with him in the ward of his master's house, saying: 'Wherefore look ye so sad to-day?'

King James Version (1611)
And he asked Pharaohs officers that were with him in the warde of his lords house, saying, wherefore looke ye so sadly to day?

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And he asked the eunuchs of Pharao who were with him in the prison with his master, saying, Why is it that your countenances are sad to-day?

English Revised Version
And he asked Pharaoh's officers that were with him in ward in his master's house, saying, Wherefore look ye so sadly to day?

Berean Standard Bible
So he asked Pharaoh's officials who were in custody with him in his master's house, "Why are your faces so downcast today?"

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
he axide hem, and seide, Whi is youre `face soriere to dai than it ys wont?

Young's Literal Translation
and he asketh Pharaoh's eunuchs who [are] with him in charge in the house of his lord, saying, `Wherefore [are] your faces sad to-day?'

Update Bible Version
And he asked Pharaoh's officers that were with him in ward in his master's house, saying, Why do you look so sad today?

Webster's Bible Translation
And he asked Pharaoh's officers that [were] with him in the ward of his lord's house, saying, Why look ye [so] sad to-day?

New King James Version
So he asked Pharaoh's officers who were with him in the custody of his lord's house, saying, "Why do you look so sad today?"

New Living Translation
"Why do you look so worried today?" he asked them.

New Life Bible
So he asked these men who had worked for Pharaoh and who were with him in prison in his boss's house, "Why are your faces so sad today?"

New Revised Standard
So he asked Pharaoh's officers, who were with him in custody in his master's house, "Why are your faces downcast today?"

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So he asked Pharaoh's courtiers who were with him in the ward of his lord's house, saying, Why are your faces troubled to-day!

Douay-Rheims Bible
He asked them, saying: Why is your countenance sadder today than usual?

Revised Standard Version
So he asked Pharaoh's officers who were with him in custody in his master's house, "Why are your faces downcast today?"

THE MESSAGE
As time went on, it happened that the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt crossed their master, the king of Egypt. Pharaoh was furious with his two officials, the head cupbearer and the head baker, and put them in custody under the captain of the guard; it was the same jail where Joseph was held. The captain of the guard assigned Joseph to see to their needs. After they had been in custody for a while, the king's cupbearer and baker, while being held in the jail, both had a dream on the same night, each dream having its own meaning. When Joseph arrived in the morning, he noticed that they were feeling low. So he asked them, the two officials of Pharaoh who had been thrown into jail with him, "What's wrong? Why the long faces?"

New American Standard Bible (1995)
He asked Pharaoh's officials who were with him in confinement in his master's house, "Why are your faces so sad today?"

Contextual Overview

⁵ They both dreamed a dream, each man his dream, in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were bound in the prison. ⁶ Joseph came in to them in the morning, and saw them, and, saw that they were sad. ⁷ He asked Pharaoh's officers who were with him in custody in his master's house, saying, "Why do you look so sad today?" ⁸ They said to him, "We have dreamed a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it." Joseph said to them, "Don't interpretations belong to God? Please tell it to me." ⁹ The chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, "In my dream, behold, a vine was in front of me, ¹⁰ and in the vine were three branches. It was as though it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and the clusters of it brought forth ripe grapes. ¹¹ 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 Joseph said to him, "This is the interpretation of it: the three branches are three days. ¹³ Within three more days, Pharaoh will lift up your head, and restore you to your office. You will give Pharaoh's cup into his hand, the way you did when you were his butler. ¹⁴ But remember me when it will be well with you, and show kindness, please, to me, and make mention of me to Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Wherefore: Judges 18:24, 1 Samuel 1:8, 2 Samuel 13:4, Nehemiah 2:2, Luke 24:17

look ye so sadly to day: Heb. are your faces evil

Reciprocal: Genesis 42:17 - ward Daniel 7:15 - the visions

Cross-References

Judges 18:24
He said, you have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and are gone away, and what have I more? and how then say you to me, What ails you?

1 Samuel 1:8
Elkanah her husband said to her, Hannah, why weep you? and why don't you eat? and why is your heart grieved? am I not better to you than ten sons?

2 Samuel 13:4
He said to him, Why, son of the king, are you thus lean from day to day? Won't you tell me? Amnon said to him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister.

Nehemiah 2:2
The king said to me, Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid.

Luke 24:17
He said to them, "What are you talking about as you walk, and are sad?"

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he asked Pharaoh's officers that [were] with him,.... The chief butler and baker that were committed to his care, and with whom he now was,

in the ward of the lord's house; this seems to confirm what is before observed, that the captain of the guard that charged Joseph with them was Potiphar his master; though indeed the keeper of the prison that was under Potiphar, the captain of the guard, might be called Joseph's lord or master, but the house could not with so much propriety be called his:

saying, wherefore look ye [so] sadly today? as they were officers, who had been in lucrative places, they lived well and merrily, and expected very probably they should be released in a short time, nothing appearing against them; but now there was a strange alteration in them, which was very visible to Joseph, and for which he expresses a concern, being of a kind, tender, and benevolent disposition, as the question he puts to them shows.

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.