Genesis 40:13 kjv

Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thine head, and restore thee unto thy place: and thou shalt deliver Pharaoh's cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his butler.

Genesis 40:13 nkjv

Now within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your place, and you will put Pharaoh's cup in his hand according to the former manner, when you were his butler.

Genesis 40:13 niv

Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your position, and you will put Pharaoh's cup in his hand, just as you used to do when you were his cupbearer.

Genesis 40:13 esv

In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office, and you shall place Pharaoh's cup in his hand as formerly, when you were his cupbearer.

Genesis 40:13 nlt

Within three days Pharaoh will lift you up and restore you to your position as his chief cup-bearer.

Genesis 40 verses

Genesis 40 13 Meaning

Genesis 40:13 records Joseph's interpretation of the chief cupbearer's dream while they were imprisoned in Egypt. Joseph prophesied that within three days, Pharaoh would lift up the cupbearer's head, signifying his full restoration to his previous high-ranking position and duties as the king's trusted cupbearer. This specific and positive prediction, contrasted with the grim prophecy for the baker, demonstrates Joseph's God-given ability to discern divine will and reveals God's control over human affairs and destinies.

Genesis 40 13 Context

Genesis chapter 40 takes place during Joseph's imprisonment in Egypt, falsely accused by Potiphar's wife (Gen 39). While in the prison of the captain of the guard, Joseph is put in charge of the prisoners. Two key royal officials, Pharaoh's chief cupbearer and chief baker, are subsequently imprisoned there for offenses against Pharaoh. One morning, Joseph notices their dejected mood because they each had a troubling dream that they could not interpret. Joseph, acknowledging that interpretations belong to God (Gen 40:8), invites them to share their dreams. This specific verse (Gen 40:13) is Joseph's interpretation of the chief cupbearer's dream, a prophecy of his imminent restoration, given before Joseph interprets the baker's dream with a contrasting, fatal outcome. This event not only showcases Joseph's divine gift but also serves as a crucial link in God's redemptive plan, laying the groundwork for Joseph's eventual release and rise to power, which will in turn save his family and set the stage for the growth of the nation of Israel. The courtly environment emphasizes the significance of such positions and Pharaoh's absolute authority.

Genesis 40 13 Word analysis

• Within three days (בְּעוֹד שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים, b'ōd shlōsheth yāmîm):
  • "b'ōd" (בְּעוֹד): Literally "yet," "still," or "in yet a little while," conveying precision and a limited, definite timeframe.
  • "shlōsheth yāmîm" (שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים): "Three days." This is a precise and literal period, emphasizing the divine accuracy of the prophecy. This short, exact timeframe contrasts sharply with Joseph's long years of waiting. It highlights God's perfect timing, whether quick or extended. The "three-day" motif recurs in biblical narratives (e.g., Abraham and Isaac journey, Jonah in the fish, Jesus' resurrection) often signifying a period of profound change or decisive event, even if not a direct theological parallel here.
• Pharaoh will lift up your head (יִשָּׂא פַרְעֹה אֶת־רֹאשֶׁךָ, yiśśāʾ pharʿōh ʾeṯ-rōʾshekhā):
  • "yiśśāʾ" (יִשָּׂא): "will lift up" or "will elevate." It's a form of the verb nasa', meaning to lift, bear, carry.
  • "ʾeṯ-rōʾshekhā" (אֶת־רֹאשֶׁךָ): "your head." The phrase "lift up one's head" is an idiom for judicial review or royal consideration. It can mean to release from confinement, restore to favor, or, in a judicial context, to count or recognize someone, either for reward or for punishment. Here, it signifies acquittal and restoration. This same idiom is used contrasting in verse 19 for the baker, meaning to lift one's head from them (decapitation), highlighting the double meaning dependent on context. It indicates Pharaoh's direct involvement in the judicial outcome.
• and restore you to your place (וַהֲשִׁיבְךָ עַל־כַּנֶּךָ, waḥašîvkā ʿal-kannĕkhā):
  • "waḥašîvkā" (וַהֲשִׁיבְךָ): "and will return you" or "and will restore you." From the verb shuv, meaning to return, restore, turn back. It signifies full reinstatement to original status.
  • "ʿal-kannĕkhā" (עַל־כַּנֶּךָ): "upon your pedestal/station." Kannāh (כַּנָּה) refers to a base, stand, or a fixed place/office. It confirms his official and honored position, not just a release but a full return to duty and rank. It suggests the security and firmness of his former post.
• and you will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand (וְנָתַתָּ כוֹס־פַּרְעֹה בְּיָדוֹ, wənāṯattā kôs-parʿōh bəyāḏō):
  • "wənāṯattā" (וְנָתַתָּ): "and you will give." From natan, meaning to give, place, put.
  • "kôs-parʿōh" (כוֹס־פַּרְעֹה): "Pharaoh's cup." This directly refers to the highly symbolic object of his office. The cupbearer was a critical role, protecting the king from poison and indicating a high degree of trust and intimacy with the ruler. The act of placing the cup implies the actual execution of his duties.
  • "bəyāḏō" (בְּיָדוֹ): "in his hand." Refers to Pharaoh's hand, reinforcing the act of service.
• just as you used to do when you were his cupbearer (כְּמִשְׁפָּט הָרִאשׁוֹן אֲשֶׁר הָיִיתָ מַשְׁקֵהוּ, kəmishpāṭ hārîshôn ʾăsher hāyîṯā mashqēhû):
  • "kəmishpāṭ hārîshôn" (כְּמִשְׁפָּט הָרִאשׁוֹן): "according to the former custom/manner." Mishpat here means custom, manner, practice, rather than strictly "judgment." Rishon means "first" or "former." It signifies a complete, unreserved restoration to his original, familiar duties and relationship with Pharaoh. There is no reduction in rank or suspicion, but a full vindication.
  • "ʾăsher hāyîṯā mashqēhû" (אֲשֶׁר הָיִיתָ מַשְׁקֵהוּ): "when you were his cupbearer." Confirms the specific role and status being restored. Mashqeh is the title "cupbearer," deriving from the verb "to give to drink."

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your place": This phrase precisely foretells a royal decision of full vindication and restoration of official duty and honor within a remarkably short and specific timeframe, underscoring the immediate nature of God's revelation and subsequent fulfillment through human agency.
• "and you will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you used to do when you were his cupbearer": This confirms the precise nature of the restoration – not just release, but full functional reinstatement. It signifies the complete return to trust and the significant responsibilities of the cupbearer's office, a highly intimate and powerful position in the ancient Near East, crucial for the king's safety and well-being. This detail implies the gravity and trust inherent in the role, underscoring the profound significance of the restoration.

Genesis 40 13 Bonus section

The context of the cupbearer's dream and Joseph's interpretation directly anticipates the pivotal events in Genesis 41, where Pharaoh has his own disturbing dreams. The chief cupbearer, upon hearing Pharaoh's predicament and remembering Joseph's accurate prophecy for himself and the baker, finally brings Joseph to Pharaoh's attention after two additional years. This demonstrates that even human forgetfulness cannot ultimately derail God's meticulous plan, only delay its manifest execution. Joseph's interpretation, being entirely accurate, authenticated his divine wisdom and became the very means of his promotion from prison to power. This narrative implicitly teaches that while God often works through human actions and remembering, He also has His own sovereign timetable that will unfold regardless, even accounting for human imperfections. It subtly points to a theological principle where apparent delays serve a higher purpose, ripening the conditions for God's perfect timing.

Genesis 40 13 Commentary

Genesis 40:13 is a powerful demonstration of God's sovereign knowledge and providential timing, channeled through Joseph. The precise detail "within three days" highlights the absolute accuracy of God's revelation, contrasting sharply with any form of human divination or unreliable Egyptian magical practices (which famously failed later in Gen 41). The "lifting up your head" idiom, followed by the description of returning the cup to Pharaoh, clearly communicates not merely a release from prison but a full, undiminished restoration to a highly sensitive and trusted position in the royal court. This serves as a vital step in God's plan for Joseph; it establishes Joseph's divine gift of interpretation in the royal sphere and ultimately paves the way for his release and elevation. It is also a testament to God's care for His faithful servants, even when they are unjustly imprisoned. Despite the cupbearer's temporary forgetfulness (Gen 40:23), God's word, as spoken through Joseph, proved utterly true, reaffirming the faithfulness and dependability of the Lord.