Annotations on the Pentateuch, Psalms, Song of Songs, Biblical commentary 1 · Chapter 40
CHAP. XL.
1, The Butler and Baker of Pharaoh in prison, 4, Ioseph hath charge of them. 5, He interpreteth their dreames; 20, which come to passe according to his interpretation, the Butler being restored to his place, and the Baker hanged. 23, Yet the Butler forgetteth Ioseph.
ANd it was, after these things; that the Butler of the King of Egypt, and the Baker, sinned: against their lord, the King of Egypt. And Pharaoh was wroth, against two of his Eunuches: against the chiefe of of the butlers, and against the chiefe of the bakers. And he commited them into ward, in the house, of the Provost Marshall, into the tower house: the place where Ioseph was bound. And the Provost Marshall, charged Ioseph, with them, and he ministred to them: and they were some dayes in ward. And they dreamed a dreame both of them, each-man his dream in one night; each-man, according to the interpretation of his dreame: the butler and the baker, which (belonged) to the King of Egypt, which were bound in the tower house. And Ioseph came in unto them, in the morning: and saw them, and behold, they were sad. And he asked Pharaohs Eunuches, which were with him in the ward of his lords house, saying: wherefore, are your faces evill, to day. And they sayd unto him; wee have dreamed a dreame, and there is no interpreter of it: and Ioseph sayd unto them; doe not interpretations (belong) to God? tell me them, I pray you. And the chiefe of the butlers, told his dreame, to Ioseph: and sayd unto him; in my dreame, behold a vine, was before mee. And in the vine, were three branches: and it was as though it budded, the blossome therof shot-up; the clusters thereof, brought forth-ripe grapes. And Pharaohs cup, was in my hand: and I tooke the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaohs cup; and I gave the cup, into Pharaohs hand. And Ioseph sayd unto him; This is the interpretation of it: the three branches, they are three dayes. Yet within three dayes shall Pharaoh lift-up thine head, and restore thee into thy place: and thou shalt give Pharaohs cup, into his hand; after the former manner, when thou wast his butler. But remember mee with thee, when it shall bee well with thee; and doe mercy with mee, I pray thee; and make mention of me, unto Pharaoh; and bring me forth, out of this house. For I was stollen by stealth, out of the land of the Hebrewes: and here also, I have not done any thing; that they should put mee, into the dungeon. And the chiefe of the bakers saw, that he had given a good interpretation: and he said, unto Ioseph, I also (saw) in my dream; and behold, three white baskets, were on my head. And in the uppermost basket, there was of all Pharaohs meat, of bakers worke: and the fowles, did eat them, out of the basket, upon my head. And Ioseph answered, & said; This is the interpretation thereof: the three baskets, they are three daies. Yet within three dayes, shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee; and shall hang thee, on a tree: and the fowles shall eate thy flesh, from off thee. And it was, in the third day, which was Pharaohs birth day; that he made a banquet, unto all his servants: and hee lifted-up the head, of the chiefe of the butlers; and the head, of the chiefe of the Bakers, among his servants. And he restored the chiefe of the butlers, unto his butlership: and hee gave the cup, into Pharaohs hand. And the cheife of the bakers, hee hanged: as Ioseph had interpreted to them. Yet did not the chiefe of the butlers, remember Ioseph, but forgat him.
Annotations.
BUtler] or, cupbearer, who used to give the cup into the kings hand, v. 13. So Nehe. 1. 11.
Verse 2. Eunuches] or officers, in Chaldee Princes, see Gen. 37. 36. chiefe] or Prince. The Greek translateth Archioinochoos, the Chiefe wine powrer: and Archisi…opoi…s the Chiefe bread-maker. The Chaldee Rabshakei.
Vers. 3. Provost Marshall] see Gen. 37. 36. tower] prison, Gen. 39. 20.
Verse 4. some dayes] or a yeare: for so the word dayes often signifieth▪ see Gen. 24. 55. and 4. 3.
Verse 5. according to the interpretation] that is, no vaine dreame, but significant, and shewing things to come, according to the interpretation that Ioseph gave of them. Of dreaming, see the notes on Gen. 20. 3.
Vers. 6. sad] the Greeke translateth troubled, and so the Hebrew importeth an angerly discontent, and fretfull trouble of mind, Prov. 19. 3. with a sad and lowring countenance, Dan. 1. 10. So dreames and visions sent of God, use much to affect men, Gen. 41. 8. Dan. 2. 1. 3. Matt. 27. 19.
Vers. 7. evill] that is, sad; as the Greeke translateth skuthropa, which word the Evangelists use in like sense, Luk. 24. 17. Matt. 6. 16. so good, is often used for merry or cheerfull, Esth. 1. 10. Esa. 65. 14.
Vers. 8. no interpreter] they being prisoners, could not goe to the Soothsayers and wise men of Egypt, as that people was wont to doe, Gen. 41. 8. When Gods Oracles are not opened and understood, it is a cause of heavinesse: Rev. 5. 4. tell me] Ioseph was in bonds, as an evill doer: but the word of God is not bound: and so Paul, 2 Tim. 2. 9. Here Iosephs faith shewed it selfe; before, hee himselfe was a dreamer, Gen. 37. 5. 9. now hee becommeth an interpreter, and maketh a way for the accomplishment of those promises: and calleth these idolaters from their superstitions, to the true God, as Deut. 18. 10. 11. 12. Esay 8. 19. And taxeth the vanity of such in our times, as write bookes of the art of interpreting dreames.
Ver. 9. behold] Hebrew, and behold: but the word and sometime is redundant in that tongue, as is observed on Gen. 36. 24.
Vers. 10. as though] or, when it budded. shot-up] Hebrew, ascended.
Vers. 12. they are] that is, they signifie three dayes: So in Gen. 41. 26.
Vers. 13. within three dayes] which is explained vers. 20. to be in the third day: see a like phrase in Gen. 7. 4. and of the mysticall number three. See Gen. 22. 4. lift up] this phrase sometime signifieth to promote unto honour, as Ier. 52. 31. sometime head is used for summe, and it meaneth to take the summe, or to reckon, as Exod. 30. 12. which may also be intended here. The Greeke translateth shal remember thy principality: the Chaldee, shal remember thee. place] or base, seat: meaning his office, of butlership, as the Greeke and Chaldee explaine it; and is confirmed by verse 21.
Vers. 14. this house] this prison; so the Greeke saith, this hold. Ioseph though patient in adversitie, yet useth all good means to procure his liberty.
Vers. 15. stollen by stealth] or indeed stollen: Hebrew stealing stollen. The Hebrews] the land of Canaan, wherein the children of Abraham dwelt, who was called an Hebrue, Gen. 14. 13. Thus Ioseph calleth it, by faith in Gods promises. In Zach. 2. 12. it is called the holy land. dungeon] or pit: in Chaldee, the house of prisoners. Thus Ioseph pleadeth his innocency; as Daniel also did, Dan. 6. 22. and Paul, Act. 24. 12. 13. 20. and 25. 10. 11.
Vers. 16. saw] this word the Greeke addeth, I saw a dreame. white] or, with holes; for the Hebrew word signifieth both: and may meane baskets made of white rods, with holes, as net-worke. But the Greeke, and Thargum Ierusalemy doe understand it of white bread, or meats in them.
Vers. 19. lift-up] or (as the Greeke translateth it,) take away thine head; in a contrary meaning to the former, vers. 13. but it may be understood of reckoning, as before; and putting this man out of the number of his officers. a tree] the Chaldee translateth it, a Gallow tree, or gybbet, crosse: such as that whereon Christ was crucified, called sometime onelyonly a tree, as Act. 5. 30. and 10. 39. 1 Pet. 2. 24. After by the law, such as dyed on tree, had the curse of God upon them; Deut. 21. 23
Vers. 20. a banquet] Hebrew a drinking. This custome to keepe banquets on birth dayes, appeareth to be most ancient; and it continued till Christs time on earth, Mat. 14. 6. and so till this day. lifted up] the Chaldee translateth, he remembred the head, &c.
Vers. 22. hanged] As Ioseph was in prison with these two malefactors, and according to his word, the one was restored to his former honour; the other put to death: so Christ was in the middest of two malefactors; who one of them was restored to eternall life, the other left to dye in his sinnes, Luk. 23. 33. 39.—43,
Vers. 23. forgat him] which was both great unthankfulnesse, and unto Ioseph, a further exercise of faith and patience from the hand of God, two yeares longer: untill the time his word came, Ps. 105. 19. So the scripture elsewhere taxeth forgetfulnesse of benefits, and of the affliction of Ioseph. Eccles. 9. 15. 16. Amos 6. 6.