Gen. 40 Pharaoh’s chief butler and baker are put into prison, and committed to Joseph, Gen. 40:1–4. They dream, and are sad, Gen. 40:5–6. He asks the reason, Gen. 40:7. Their answer, and Joseph’s reply, Gen. 40:8. The chief butler tells his dream, Gen. 40:9–11.

The captain of the guard, to wit, Potiphar, Gen. 37:36, who being informed by his underkeeper of Joseph’s great care and faithfulness, began to have a better opinion of him, though for his own quiet, and his wife’s reputation, he left him still in the prison.

A season, Heb. days, i.e. either many days, or a year, as that word sometimes signifies. See Gen. 24:55.

1718 i.e. Not a vain and idle dream, but one that had in it a signification of future things, and needed interpretation; and the several dreams were proper and agreeable to the several events which befell them, and to the several interpretations which Joseph put upon them: the dream and…

Perplexed and terrified both, because they perceived the dream was extraordinary and sent from God; compare Gen. 41:8, Dan. 2:1, Matt. 27:19; and because they understood not the meaning of it.

There is no interpreter of it, to wit, with us, or to whom we can now resort; for otherwise there were many in Egypt of that profession, Gen. 41:8. Do not interpretations belong to God? In vain do you expect such things from your wise men, for it is only that God who sends these dreams that can…

i.e. Signify three days. So that word is oft used, as Gen. 40:18, Gen. 41:26–27, Dan. 2:38, Dan. 4:22, Matt. 13:19, Matt. 13:38, Matt. 26:26, Matt. 26:28, Luke 8:11, 1 Cor. 10:4. And indeed there is no proper Hebrew word which answers to signify.

Lift up thine head, i.e. advance thee to thy former dignity. So that phrase is used 2 Kings 25:27, Ps. 110:7. Or, reckon thy head, i.e. thy name or thy person, to wit, among his servants, which is added, Gen. 40:20.

Though he patiently endures his prison, yet he prudently useth all lawful means to get his freedom.

I was stolen away, taken away by force and fraud, without my own or father’s consent, out of the land of Canaan, which he might call the land of the Hebrews, either because they now dwelt in it, or by way of protestation of their right and claim to it by God’s gift.

White baskets; so called from the colour, either of the baskets, which were made of pilled, and so white twigs, or of the things contained in them, as white bread, &c.

From off thee. This clause is industriously added here to the former phrase, to show that it was now meant in another sense. He shall indeed lift up thy head, as well as the chief butler’s, but in another manner, not for time, but from thee, or so as to take away thy head or thy life (which…

Pharaoh’s birthday. Birth-days by persons of eminency then were, and since have usually been, celebrated with feasting and rejoicing.

i.e. Neglected him and his desire; as men in Scripture are oft said to forget God, when they do not remember him so as to love and obey him, as Ps. 106:13, Ps. 106:21, Hos. 2:13.