Genesis 40 17

Genesis 40:17 kjv

And in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of bakemeats for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head.

Genesis 40:17 nkjv

In the uppermost basket were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, and the birds ate them out of the basket on my head."

Genesis 40:17 niv

In the top basket were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head."

Genesis 40:17 esv

and in the uppermost basket there were all sorts of baked food for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating it out of the basket on my head."

Genesis 40:17 nlt

The top basket contained all kinds of pastries for Pharaoh, but the birds came and ate them from the basket on my head."

Genesis 40 verses

Genesis 40 17 meaning

This verse is a direct quote from the chief baker, relating the details of his dream to Joseph in the Egyptian prison. In this part of the dream, the chief baker describes three baskets on his head, the uppermost containing a variety of baked goods intended for Pharaoh. The pivotal detail is that birds came and consumed these prepared foods from the basket positioned on his head. This specific imagery provides the negative, definitive element upon which Joseph's later grim interpretation of the baker's fate will hinge.

Genesis 40 17 Context

Genesis chapter 40 continues the narrative of Joseph's time in Egypt. Having been falsely accused by Potiphar's wife, Joseph is now imprisoned (Gen 39:20). Even in prison, the LORD is with Joseph, and he gains favor with the keeper of the prison (Gen 39:21-23), who puts him in charge of all the prisoners. Among these prisoners are Pharaoh's chief butler and chief baker, who had offended the king. One night, both men have dreams, each distinct in their imagery (Gen 40:5). When Joseph sees them troubled by their inability to understand their dreams, he attributes the power of interpretation to God alone (Gen 40:8) and asks them to recount their dreams. The butler tells his dream first, which Joseph interprets favorably. Then, in Genesis 40:17, the chief baker relates his own dream, detailing the uppermost basket with bakemeats consumed by birds. This sets the stage for Joseph to interpret his dream, foreshadowing a tragic outcome for the baker.

Genesis 40 17 Word analysis

• And: Connects this verse directly to the preceding narration of the baker's dream details.
• in the uppermost: Signifies a position of prominence and accessibility. In a stacked arrangement, it indicates the highest basket.
• basket: Hebrew: sallim (סַלִּים), typically refers to woven containers. The imagery of "three white baskets" was given in verse 16. The specific nature of "uppermost" suggests a vulnerability for its contents.
• there were of all manner of bakemeats: Hebrew: ma’akal per‘ôh (מַאֲכַל פַּרְעֹה), meaning "food for Pharaoh" or "Pharaoh's meal." This indicates food prepared specifically for the king, highlighting its importance and sacral quality within the Egyptian context. The variety signifies the baker's skill and the luxury of the royal household.
• for Pharaoh: Emphasizes the destination and royal significance of the food, making its defilement particularly grave. Food for the pharaoh would have been considered ritually pure and a reflection of his divine or quasi-divine status.
• and the birds: Hebrew: tsippor (צִפּוֹר), generic for small flying creatures, fowl, or birds. In ancient Near Eastern symbolism, birds eating unburied bodies was a sign of ignominious death and judgment. Their presence in the dream immediately introduces a strong negative connotation.
• did eat them: Hebrew: akal (אָכַל), to consume, to devour. The active consumption by birds implies defilement and destruction of the sacred food, indicating a loss of honor and a grim fate.
• out of the basket: Signifies that the consumption happened directly from the source where the food was intended to be secure.
• upon my head: Hebrew: al ro'shi (עַל רֹאשִׁי). This phrase emphasizes the personal connection and responsibility of the baker to the food. The act of carrying baskets on one's head was common for servants in the ancient world. The defilement happening "upon my head" personally links the act to the baker's person and fate, directly connecting it to his impending punishment. It suggests his own public shame and defilement.

Words-group analysis

• And in the uppermost basket: This phrase sets the scene for the culmination of the baker's dream. The "uppermost" position, being the most exposed, signals vulnerability and potential defilement. It directly points to the third basket in the earlier description, carrying a sense of ultimate significance.
• bakemeats for Pharaoh: This detail emphasizes the royal nature and sanctity of the food. Food intended for the king, especially in a culture that held its ruler as divine or divinely appointed, was highly valued and not to be desecrated. Its consumption by mere birds signifies severe disrespect or judgment from a higher power.
• the birds did eat them: This is the core symbolic action. Birds eating human food, particularly royal food, indicates an unsanctioned, destructive force at play. It strongly alludes to unburied bodies and public dishonor, as birds typically scavenged on corpses.
• out of the basket upon my head: This part concretizes the baker's personal involvement and imminent judgment. The defilement occurring directly from the container he carries, upon his very head, foreshadows a personal and public shaming, suggesting that his own life and body will suffer this indignity. It contrasts sharply with the butler's dream, where he held the cup directly and safely gave it to Pharaoh.

Genesis 40 17 Bonus section

The imagery of "birds eating" found in the chief baker's dream echoes a pervasive motif in ancient Near Eastern and biblical texts regarding judgment. The inability to receive a proper burial, and for one's body to be consumed by scavengers, was considered one of the most dire curses and public disgraces, particularly for those of status. This concept underlines the cultural significance of the dream for the baker and explains why such an otherwise simple image carried such a heavy interpretive weight leading to his execution. Furthermore, this distinction between the butler's favorable dream and the baker's unfavorable one highlights the precision and detail in God's divine revelation through Joseph, reaffirming the validity of Joseph's prophetic gift, which would soon be recognized by Pharaoh.

Genesis 40 17 Commentary

Genesis 40:17 forms a crucial part of the chief baker's dream, which, when interpreted by Joseph, seals his grim fate. The description of bakemeats prepared for Pharaoh, the highest dignitary, signifies an offering of great value and ritual importance. The key to the interpretation lies in the seemingly innocuous detail of birds consuming these bakemeats directly from the basket on the baker's head. In the ancient world, particularly Egypt, such an event symbolized public dishonor and desecration, often associated with a lack of proper burial—where bodies were left exposed to scavengers as a mark of severe punishment or a curse. Joseph's divine insight correctly translates this imagery into the baker's impalement, where his body would be exposed for birds to consume, thus denying him a dignified passage to the afterlife according to Egyptian beliefs. This dream narrative, through its contrasting interpretations for the butler and the baker, underscores God's ultimate sovereignty over life and death, and Joseph's role as a vessel for divine revelation, even amidst his unjust imprisonment.