Section 9 - Part 4: God Establishes Joseph’s Reputation

Order of Service:

Announcements

Martyrs and Missionaries

Communion

Worship

Teaching

Fellowship / Discussion

Prayer time as a group

Current Sermon Position:

Gen 1:1-2:4 The generations of the heavens and the earth

Gen 2:4-5:1 The book of the generations of Adam

Gen 5:1-6:9 The generations of Noah

Gen 6:9-10:1 The generations of the sons of Noah

Gen 10:1-11:10 The generations of Shem

Gen 11:10-11:27 The generations of Terah

Gen 11:27-25:19 The generations of Isaac

Gen 25:19-37:2 The generations of Jacob

Gen 37:2-Ex 1:1 The generations of the Sons of Jacob

Hermeneutic Notes:

Rhetorical or Narrative Changes:

This section is about Jacob’s sons (Primarily Joseph, Rueben, and Judah)

Topical Concerns:

Hope deferred

Fear

Faith

Trust in God

Loyalty

Consequences

Context:

Text:

New American Standard Bible (1995) Chapter 40

1 Then it came about after these things, the cupbearer and the baker for the king of Egypt offended their lord, the king of Egypt. 2 Pharaoh was furious with his two officials, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker. 3 So he put them in confinement

Who was the captain of the bodyguard?

Potiphar

Genesis 39:1 “Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an Egyptian officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the bodyguard, bought him from the Ishmaelites, who had taken him down there.”

Both of these people had substantial roles maintaining loyalty and trust with the King.

Was Joseph still Potiphar’s slave?

Yes.

What was the assumption the two men had about dreams?

The assumption was someone could interpret their dreams, and they felt without someone who could do this they were annoyed and worried.

What is Joseph’s response to this?

God

Joseph was not ashamed to bring up God.

New American Standard Bible (1995) Chapter 40

9 So the

What was the dream the cupbearer had?

Was it interpreted as good or bad for him?

How was Joseph attempting to plead with the cupbearer?

Using the injustice he experienced to get freedom

New American Standard Bible (1995) Chapter 40

16 When

Why was the chief baker encouraged to ask for his dream interpreted?

What was the dream the chief baker had?

Was it interpreted as good or bad for him?

Did the interpretations come true?

Yes

Did the chief cupbearer remember Joseph’s plea?

Application:

NOTES:

The cupbearer served as a trusted official who tasted the king’s food and drink to protect him from poisoning.[1] Beyond this protective function, cupbearers served wine to the ruler and often became confidants of the king due to their proximity and the trust required for such a sensitive role.[2] Egyptian cupbearers were sometimes called “pure of hands” and frequently became favorites of the pharaoh who wielded considerable political influence.[3]

The chief baker held equally high status, with responsibility for protecting the king from poisoning through food, overseeing the supply of cakes and bakemeats to the royal court, and ensuring these items were not tampered with for treasonous purposes.[4] The chief baker may have overseen all food production in the kingdom, managing crops and planting throughout Egypt to ensure proper distribution to the population and the pharaoh.[5]

Both positions granted their holders exceptional access to Pharaoh, making them among his most trusted officials. Because they were entrusted with the king’s life, they had to be extremely reliable and loyal, inevitably gaining the pharaoh’s ear and often receiving broader responsibilities throughout the kingdom.[5] This close access to Pharaoh meant they could theoretically have been involved in conspiracies against him, though their actual offense in Genesis 40 remains unspecified.[2]

[1] Kenneth O. Gangel and Stephen J. Bramer, Genesis, ed. Max Anders, Holman Old Testament Commentary (B&H Publishing Group, 2002), 327. [2] Douglas Mangum, Miles Custis, and Wendy Widder, Genesis 12–50, Logos Research Commentaries (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2026). [See here, here.] [3] K. A. Kitchen, “Cupbearer,” in New Bible Dictionary, ed. D. R. W. Wood et al. (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996), 248. [4] Cunningham Geikie, Hours with the Bible or the Scriptures in the Light of Modern Discovery and Knowledge: From Creation to the Patriarchs, Hours with the Bible or the Scriptures in the Light of Modern Discovery and Knowledge (New York: James Pott, 1882), 1:462. [5] James B. Jordan, Primeval Saints: Studies in the Patriarchs of Genesis (Moscow, ID.: Canon Press, 2001), 129–130.