The Chosen Key Word in this Chapter is “Remember” it comes from the Hebrew Word “zakar” which means “to remember, to call to mind.”
Two prisoners have troubling dreams, and Joseph offers them something no one else in the palace can. Welcome to Bible Life Basics Chapter Reviews, I am Chris and this is Genesis 40.
Pharaoh’s chief butler and chief baker are imprisoned alongside Joseph, and both have vivid dreams on the same night that trouble them deeply. Joseph notices their sadness and asks what is wrong, telling them plainly, “Do not interpretations belong to God?” He asks them to share their dreams with him.
The butler dreams of a vine with three branches that produces grapes he squeezes into Pharaoh’s cup. Joseph interprets this as good news, that within three days Pharaoh will restore him to his position. The baker, encouraged by this positive interpretation, shares his own dream of three baskets of bread, with birds eating from the top basket. Joseph’s interpretation here is grim, that within three days the baker will be executed.
Both interpretations come true exactly as Joseph said. Before the butler leaves, Joseph asks him to remember him to Pharaoh and mention his unjust imprisonment. But once restored to his position, “yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him.” The Hebrew word for remember here, “zakar,” is the same word used earlier of God remembering Noah and Rachel.
Joseph asked for one simple favor, to be remembered, and was forgotten for two more years. Human memory fails constantly, even when we are counting on it most. But God’s memory never fails, and His timing, though slower than we would like, is never actually late.
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