Genesis 41:9 kjv

Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day:

Genesis 41:9 nkjv

Then the chief butler spoke to Pharaoh, saying: "I remember my faults this day.

Genesis 41:9 niv

Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, "Today I am reminded of my shortcomings.

Genesis 41:9 esv

Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, "I remember my offenses today.

Genesis 41:9 nlt

Finally, the king's chief cup-bearer spoke up. "Today I have been reminded of my failure," he told Pharaoh.

Genesis 41 verses

Genesis 41 9 Meaning

This verse marks a critical turning point in the life of Joseph, two years after he interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh's cupbearer and baker. The chief cupbearer, prompted by Pharaoh's distress over his unexplained dreams, finally remembers Joseph and his unique ability to interpret divine messages. His statement, "I remember my faults today," serves as a confession of his negligence in failing to advocate for Joseph as promised earlier (Gen 40:14). It underscores God's perfect timing, where human forgetfulness ultimately serves a greater divine purpose, leading to Joseph's miraculous elevation.

Genesis 41 9 Context

Genesis chapter 41 begins with Pharaoh's distressing dreams that no Egyptian wise man or magician could interpret, creating a national crisis. This desperate situation sets the stage for the chief cupbearer to recall Joseph, who had accurately interpreted his dream and the chief baker's dream while they were imprisoned with him. Joseph had specifically asked the cupbearer to remember him once restored to his position but was forgotten for two full years (Gen 40:23; 41:1). Verse 9 marks the end of this prolonged forgetfulness and the critical turning point that brings Joseph from the dungeon to Pharaoh's court, initiating his rise to power in Egypt.

Genesis 41 9 Word analysis

• Then the chief cupbearer (וַיְדַבֵּר שַׂר הַמַּשְׁקִים - waydabber sar hammashqim):
  • וַיְדַבֵּר (waydabber): "And he spoke." This waw-consecutive verb indicates a sudden, consequential action. After two years of silence, the cupbearer's words are impactful, initiating the crucial next step in Joseph's story. It signifies an abrupt and opportune intervention.
  • שַׂר (sar): "Chief," "official," "prince." This title signifies a position of high trust and influence within Pharaoh's court. Such officials had direct access to the king, highlighting the gravity of his testimony and the influence he wielded.
  • הַמַּשְׁקִים (hammashqim): "The cupbearers." These royal servants were responsible for serving Pharaoh's drink, often acting as tasters against poison and privy to important discussions, underscoring their trusted status.
• spoke to Pharaoh (אֶת־פַּרְעֹה - et-Par‘oh): Indicates a direct and significant address to the king, not just a casual remark. The weight of his words comes from his position and the urgency of Pharaoh's need.
• saying (לֵאמֹר - lemor): A standard Hebrew idiom introducing direct speech.
• “I remember (אֲנִי מַזְכִּיר - ani mazkir):
  • אֲנִי (ani): "I" (emphatic). The use of the independent pronoun emphasizes that he is the one bringing this up now, personally accepting responsibility or acknowledgment.
  • מַזְכִּיר (mazkir): Hiphil participle of zakhar (זָכַר), meaning "to cause to remember," "to bring to remembrance," or simply "to mention." This Hiphil form emphasizes an active, deliberate act of recollection and vocalization, a direct bringing of something (his faults, and by extension, Joseph) before Pharaoh's attention.
• my faults (אֶת־חֲטָאַי - et-ḥaṭāʾay):
  • חֲטָאַי (ḥaṭāʾay): From ḥaṭa (חָטָא), meaning "to miss the mark," "to err," or "to sin." Here, it primarily denotes his professional negligence, a failure to fulfill his promise and an oversight. The plural suggests not just forgetting Joseph but perhaps neglecting his responsibility towards justice or fairness for one unjustly imprisoned, or the collective missteps that kept Joseph hidden.
• today (הַיּוֹם - hayyom): This adverb emphasizes the immediate, crucial timing. It is "this very day," prompted by the urgency of Pharaoh's dreams, that the memory is jogged and spoken. This highlights the divine orchestration—the moment is not random but divinely appointed for Joseph's elevation.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Then the chief cupbearer spoke to Pharaoh": This phrase immediately signals a shift. The one person with the direct connection to Joseph's past, and immediate access to the king, finally speaks up, precisely when the crisis of Pharaoh's dreams creates the perfect opportunity.
• "I remember my faults today": This declaration serves as both a confession and an introduction. His "faults" refer to his failure to remember Joseph earlier, thus acknowledging his promise was broken. The "today" emphasizes the timeliness and urgency, signaling that the current royal predicament has served as the catalyst for his memory. This highlights God's sovereignty, as human failing and urgent need align to achieve His perfect will.

Genesis 41 9 Bonus section

The two-year delay between the cupbearer's release and his recollection of Joseph's interpreting abilities (Gen 40:23, 41:1) is crucial. Had Joseph been remembered earlier, he might have been released from prison but potentially into obscurity, lacking the precise context and urgent need for a dream interpreter. God allowed Joseph to remain in the dungeon, patiently preparing him, until the moment came for him to be thrust directly into Pharaoh's service, without any gradual ascent. This period honed Joseph's character, deepened his trust in God, and perfectly positioned him for his providential role as second-in-command of Egypt.

Genesis 41 9 Commentary

Genesis 41:9 is the divine moment of breakthrough in Joseph's life. After enduring profound injustice and seemingly being forgotten, his moment arrives through an unexpected catalyst: Pharaoh's distress. The chief cupbearer's belated memory, triggered by necessity rather than true remembrance, serves as a poignant reminder that God’s perfect timing often works through the imperfection and delays of human agents. The cupbearer’s admission of "faults" points less to a moral sin and more to a failure of promise and diligence. This failure, ironically, facilitated God's grander design for Joseph: elevation not merely as a released prisoner, but as the saviour of Egypt and his family. The verse showcases God's intricate orchestration, turning a forgotten promise into the very key to Joseph’s destiny and the eventual preservation of the Israelite lineage.