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Summarized Bible Commentary

Genesis 40:1-23

Contents: Joseph in prison in Egypt. Interprets dreams.

Characters: Butler, baker, captain of guard, Joseph, Potiphar.

Conclusion: Whatever our lot in God's providence, we may ever be a blessing to companions in tribulation by showing a concern in their troubles and doing our best, by God's help, to lift their burdens.

Key Word: Interpretation, Genesis 40:8.

Strong Verses: Genesis 40:8.

Striking Facts: Bad dreams cannot be given a good interpretation. If a minister of Christ deals faithfully with God's message and it proves unpleasant, it is not his fault.

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See also Genesis 40:1-23 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    CHAPTER XL _Pharaoh's chief_ butler _and his chief_ baker, _having offended_ _their lord, are put in prison_, 1-3. _The captain of the guard gives them into the care of Joseph_, 4. _Each of them h...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    - 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...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 40 JOSEPH THE INTERPRETER OF DREAMS _ 1. The fellow prisoners (Genesis 40:1)_ 2. The dream of the chief butler (Genesis 40:9) 3. The interpretation (Genesis 40:12) 4. Joseph's request ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    GENESIS 40. JOSEPH INTERPRETS THEIR DREAMS TO PHARAOH'S TWO IMPRISONED OFFICERS. This chapter is from E, with harmonistic additions and touches from J (Genesis 40:3_ b_, Genesis 40:5_ b_, Genesis 40:1...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    The two Officers in Prison 1. _after these things_ A vague definition of time: see Genesis 15:1; Genesis 22:1; Genesis 39:7. _the butler_ In...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    BUTLER—AND—BAKER— This _chief butler_ and _chief baker,_ Genesis 40:2 were two distinguished officers of the crown; _cup-bearer_ and _master of the household_ to the king; see Nehemiah 1:11. Diodorus...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    2. _Joseph as Prisoner in Egypt_ (Genesis 39:1 to Genesis 41:45). 39 And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh'S, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of t...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _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._ The butler - not only the cup-bearer, but overseer of the royal...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    JOSEPH INTERPRETS THE DREAMS OF PHARAOH'S OFFICERS 1. Butler] rather, 'cupbearer,' a high court official: cp. Nehemiah 1:11; Nehemiah 2:1. BAKER] rather, 'cook.' It is conjectured that these official...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    A *cup-bearer was an important person. He provided the wine that the king drank. He gave the king’s cup to the king whenever the king drank. But if anybody wanted to poison the king, they might put po...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    GOD’S ANCIENT PEOPLE GENESIS _ALUN OWEN_ CHAPTER 40 THE *CUP-BEARER AND THE BAKER IN PRISON V1 Some time after this, the king of Egypt’s *cup-bearer offended his master the king. And the king’s...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    XL. JOSEPH INTERPRETS THE DREAMS OF THE CHIEF BUTLER AND BAKER. (1) BUTLER. — Heb., _one who gives to drink,_ cupbearer. As we learn in Genesis 40:11 that it was grapewine which he gave the king to dr...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יְהִ֗י אַחַר֙ הַ דְּבָרִ֣ים הָ אֵ֔לֶּה

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    JOSEPH FARES WELL IN PRISON Genesis 39:19; Genesis 40:1 These two men remind us of the two thieves crucified beside our Lord; to the one He was a savor of life, to the other of death. Jeremy Taylor s...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The works of God are ever characterized by simplicity. No study is more fascinating in the Divine Oracles or in human experience than the wonderful mosaic of the divine government. If it may be stated...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    GOD WAS WITH JOSEPH IN PRISON Again, the Lord was with Joseph. He caused the keeper of the prison to look on Joseph with mercy. Eventually, the keeper placed all under Joseph's authority, just as Pot...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Two eunuchs; chief officers, and high in dignity, as the Hebrew expresses it, ver. 2. (Haydock) --- Offended, perhaps, by stealing, or by some treasonable conspiracy. (Menochius)_...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    CONTENTS The sacred historian prosecutes the interesting history of Joseph through this Chapter. The events of the prison, which by their tendency had a relation to Joseph and his future prospects in...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    Having already shown the position of Isaac, I resume briefly with the remark that he stands before us clearly as the representative of the Son, and this too as dead, risen, and in heaven. All will und...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    1._And it came to pass after these things_. We have already seen, that when Joseph was in bonds, God cared for him. For whence arose the relaxation afforded him, but from the divine favor? Therefore,...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 37 THROUGH 41. What follows from chapter 37 is the interesting history of Joseph, to which even children ever yield a ready ear, although ignorant of all the...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND IT CAME TO PASS AFTER THESE THINGS,.... After Joseph had been accused and cast into prison, where he had been for some time: [THAT] THE BUTLER OF THE KING OF EGYPT AND [HIS] BAKER HAD OFFENDED TH...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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. Ver. 1. _Had offended their lord the king of Egypt._] What th...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    We should not have had this story of Pharaoh's butler and baker recorded in Scripture, if it had not been serviceable to Joseph's preferment. The world stands for the sake of the church, and is govern...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 The Butler and Baker of Pharaoh in prison. 4 Ioseph hath charge of them. 5 He interpreteth their dreames. 20 They come to passe according to his interpretation. 23 The ingratitude of the Butler....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    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. Joseph was in prison a number of years, since he was only seventee...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE DREAMS OF THE TWO PRISONERS...

  • Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures

    FOURTH SECTION _Joseph as interpreter of the dreams of his fellow-prisoners_. GENESIS 40:1-23 1And it came to pass after these things _that_ the butler of the king of Egypt, and _his_ baker, had off...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    JOSEPH, INTERPRETER OF DREAMS Two men are seen now to be committed to Joseph's care in the prison, the cup bearer and the baker of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. It is not told us for what offenses they wer...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-19 It was not so much the prison that made the butler and baker sad, as their dreams. God has more ways than one to sadden the spirits. Joseph had compassion towards them. Let us be concerned for t...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    GENESIS CHAPTER 40 Pharaoh's chief butler and baker are put into prison, and committed to Joseph, GENESIS 40:1. They dream, and are sad, GENESIS 40:5,6. He asks the reason, GENESIS 40:7. Their answer,...

  • Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh

    In Genesis 1:23 Satan uses Potiphar's wife, and in Genesis 1:23 he uses Pharaoh's chief butler. The former he used to put Joseph into the dungeon; and the latter he used to keep him there, through his...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Genesis 40:1 after H310 things H1697 butler H8248 (H8688) baker H644 (H8802) king H4428 Egypt H4714 offended...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    JOSEPH COMES IN CONTACT WITH IMPORTANT COURT OFFICIALS AND INTERPRETS THEIR DREAMS (GENESIS 40:1). Genesis 40:1 ‘And it happened after these things that the cup-bearer of the king of Egypt, and his...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Genesis 40:4. _Captain of the guard;_ that is, Potiphar who had a controul over the gaoler. It would seem, by enlarging Joseph's liberty in prison, that he now believed his asseverations of innocence:...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _The captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them_ LIGHT UPON JOSEPH’S DESTINY This chapter discovers signs that Joseph was destined to fill an important place in the history of...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    GENESIS—NOTE ON GENESIS 40:1 Some time after Joseph was imprisoned (ch. Genesis 39:1), two royal attendants are imprisoned for offending Pharaoh. With God’s help, Joseph interprets their dreams. This...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.— The butler.] “The cupbearer and overseer of the WINE—MAKING and storing and serving, an important officer of the king. (2 Kings 18:17.) He was now a state prisoner for an offence agai...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION GENESIS 40:1 AND IT CAME TO PASS (literally, _and it was_) AFTER THESE THINGS (literally, _words_, _i.e._ after the transactions just recorded), THAT THE BUTLER—מָשְׁקֶה, the hiph. part. o...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    For the correlating audio message go to Chapter 39 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. And Pharaoh was ang...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    it came. Genesis 39:20 Esther 6:1 the butler. Genesis 40:13 Nehemiah 1:11...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    JOSEPH IN PRISON Genesis 40:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS We left Joseph, in chapter 39, in prison under the order of Potiphar, captain of the guard. Chapter forty of Genesis discovers to us several importan...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    We should not have had this story of Pharaoh's butler and baker recorded in scripture, if it had not been serviceable to Joseph's preferment. The world stands for the sake of the church, and is govern...

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