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<< Genesis 40 Butler and Baker >>
 We are in Egypt, the wonderful country of the Nile, with its bright, cloudless sky, its green meadows and palms, its pyramids and temples, its rich rulers and its slaves. The Nile brings Egypt all its life, each autumn overflowing and watering its meadows and leaving a coating of rich mud. Already in the days of Joseph there were great dikes and reservoirs lo regulate the overllow of water. In the hot, dry months the people worked hard, as they do to-day, to lift water from the river and lead it about over their gardens.
The great pyramids were standing in Joseph's time and were already very old, and there were already some of the temples that are now in ruins. The Pharaoh then ruling was probably one of the Hyksos kings, not native Egyptians, but people who had come into Egypt from the East. He ruled over the Delta, as the part of Egypt is called which is near the sea, where the river spreads out in many branches like a fan, and other kings who lived far up the river at Thebes paid tribute to him.
Cairo is the great city of Egypt now. You can go a little way from Cairo and see the ruins of Memphis, which was a great city in the time of Joseph, where perhaps Pharaoh had a palace; and at On, still nearer to Cairo, you can see one lonely obelisk, the oldest now in Egypt, among mounds of ruins, showing where the gateway of the great temple of Ra the sun god used to be, where processions passed in and out in the days of Joseph. A daughter of the priest of On became Joseph's wife. The obelisks now in London and New York came originally from On. We can tell very well how people lived in Egypt long ago, for there are many pictures of them on the walls of tombs and temples. Here is a king going out to war or bringing captives home. Here a man goes hunting or fishing. Here he is among his slaves in the fields, and his overseer, with a stick in his hand, directs them at their work, or with a pen and tablet counts his master's sheep or jars of wine. In the pictures we see the rich people feasting. Slaves waited on them, fanned them, danced and sang before them, gave the guests sweet flowers, and brought all kinds of nice foods to the table.
The story tells about the chief butler and chief baker of Pharaoh. They were important officers who took care of the king's food and drink. In the old pictures we see men making wine, sometimes squeezing the grapes in a leather bag, sometimes treading them. Then we see the sealed jars set aside. Again, like the chief butler, one presses grapes into a cup of water for the king to drink.
We see the bakers also in the pictures. They had small dome-shaped ovens of earthenware, such as are still used. There was a hole near the top through which the baker reached his hand to put his thin cakes against the hot side of the oven, and to take off those that were baked. They made many kinds of fancy breads and often carried them in shallow, open baskets on their heads. It is the way the people carry fruits and other things to-day. The chief baker carried such baskets in his dream. The chief butler and chief baker were in prison. Joseph was in the same prison, though he had done nothing wrong. Now we must read about the dreams of the butler and baker.
And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison. But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it. The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper.
And it came to pass after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker had offended their lord the king of Egypt. And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers. And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound. And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them: and they continued a season in ward. And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, which were bound in the prison. And Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and looked upon them, and, behold, they were sad. And he asked Pharaoh's officers that were with him in the ward of his lord's house, saying, Wherefore look ye so sadly to day? And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you. And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, In my dream, behold, a vine was before me; 40:10 And in the vine were three branches: and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes: And Pharaoh's cup was in my hand: and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand. And Joseph said unto him, This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days: 40:13 Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thine head, and restore thee unto thy place: and thou shalt deliver Pharaoh's cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his butler. But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and shew kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house: 40:15 For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews: and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon. When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said unto Joseph, I also was in my dream, and, behold, I had three white baskets on my head: 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. And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation thereof: The three baskets are three days: Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree; and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee. And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants. And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand: But he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them. Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him.---Genesis XXXIX. 20-23; XL.
Author: William L. Worcester 1904
Spiritual Correspondences
Celestial Correspondences
Spiritual Meaning
GENESIS XXXIX
20. And Joseph's lord took him, and put him into the prison house, the place where the king's bound ones were bound; and he was there in the prison house.
And Joseph's lord took him. That this signifies temptation from the natural, is evident from what now follows, where it is told of Joseph that he was put into the prison house, by which is described in the internal sense the temptation of spiritual good in the natural; and because the words, 'Joseph's lord took him' involve this, they also signify it. Temptations are of two kinds--as to truths, and as to goods. Temptations as to truths are effected by spirits, but temptations as to good are effected by genii. Spirits and genii in the other life are distinguished by the fact that spirits act into the intellectual part of the mind, consequently into those things which are of faith; while genii act into the will part, consequently into those things which are of love. Spirits present themselves to view, and also manifest themselves by speech; but genii make themselves invisible, and do not manifest themselves except by an influx into the desires and cupidities. In the other life the two are kept separate, evil or infernal spirits appearing in front and on both sides under the earth of the lower regions, while evil or infernal genii appear under the hinder part and behind the back deep down under the earth there. As already said, temptations as to truths are effected by evil spirits, and temptations as to goods by evil genii. In the following pages those temptations are treated of which are effected by evil spirits, and thus which are effected as to false-speaking against good. These temptations are milder than those which are effected by evil genii, and they also occur first.
21-23. And Jehovah was with Joseph, and inclined mercy unto him, and gave him grace in the eyes of the prince of the prison house. And the prince of the prison house gave into Joseph's hand all the bound ones that were in the prison house; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer. The prince of the prison house saw naught of anything that was in his hand, because Jehovah was with him; and that which he did, Jehovah made it to prosper.
'And Jehovah was with Joseph,' signifies that the Divine was in Him; 'and inclined mercy unto him,' signifies the Divine love in everything; 'and gave him grace in the eyes of the prince of the prison house,' signifies relief in consequence; 'and the prince of the prison house,' signifies truth governing in a state of temptations; 'gave into Joseph's hand all the bound ones that were in the prison house,' signifies from Himself over all falsities; 'and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer,' signifies absolute power; 'the prince of the prison house saw naught of anything that was in his hand,' signifies that He Himself governed truth; 'because Jehovah was with him,' signifies from the Divine which was in Him; 'and that which he did, Jehovah made it to prosper,' signifies that the Divine providence was from Himself.
GENESIS XL
1-4. And it came to pass after these words that they sinned, the butler of the king of Egypt and the baker, to their lord the king of Egypt. And Pharaoh was wroth over his two courtministers, over the prince of the butlers, and over the prince of the baker's. And he put them into the custody of the house of the prince of the guards, unto the prison house, the place where Joseph was bound. And the prince of the guards set Joseph over them, and he ministered unto them; and they were for days in custody.
'And it came to pass,' signifies a new state, and the things which follow; 'after these words,' signifies after the things which precede; 'that they sinned,' signifies inverted order; 'the butler of the king of Egypt,' signifies in those things in the body which are subject to the intellectual part; 'and the baker,' signifies in those things in the body which are subject to the will part; 'to their lord the king of Egypt,' signifies that they were contrary to the new state of the natural man; 'and Pharaoh was wroth,' signifies that the new natural man averted itself; 'over his two courtministers,' signifies from the sensuous things of the body of both kinds; 'over the prince of the butlers, and over the prince of the bakers,' signifies in general from the sensuous things subordinate to the intellectual part and to the will part; 'and he put them into the custody,' signifies rejection; 'of the house of the prince of the guards,' signifies by those things which are primary for interpretation; 'unto the prison house,' signifies among falsities; 'the place where Joseph was bound,' signifies the state of the celestial of the natural now as to these things; 'and the prince of the guards set Joseph over them,' signifies that the celestial of the natural taught them from things primary for interpretation; 'and he ministered to them,' signifies that he instructed them; 'and they were for days in custody,' signifies that they were long in a state of rejection.
5-8. And they dreamed a dream both of them, each his dream in one night, each according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were bound in the prison house. And Joseph came unto them in the morning, and saw them, and behold they were troubled. And he asked Pharaoh's courtministers that were with him in the custody of his lord's house, saying, Wherefore are your faces evil to-day? And they said unto him, we have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell it me, I pray.
'And they dreamed a dream both of them,' signifies foresight concerning them; 'each his dream in one night,' signifies concerning the event which to them was in obscurity; 'each according to the interpretation of his dream,' signifies which they had in themselves; 'the butler and the baker,' signifies concerning the sensuous things of both kinds; 'of the king of Egypt,' signifies which were subordinate to the interior natural; 'who were bound in the prison house,' signifies which were among falsities; 'and Joseph came unto them in the morning,' signifies revealed and clear to the celestial of the natural; 'and saw them,' signifies perception; 'and behold they were troubled,' signifies that they were in a sad state; 'and he asked Pharaoh's courtministers,' signifies the sensuous things in question; 'that were with him in the custody of his lord's house,' signifies which were rejected; 'saying, Wherefore are your faces evil today?' signifies from what affection was this sadness; 'and they said unto him,' signifies perception concerning these things; 'We have dreamed a dream,' signifies prediction; 'and there is no interpreter of it,' signifies that no one knows what is in them; 'and Joseph said unto them,' signifies the celestial of the natural; 'Do not interpretations belong to God?' signifies that the Divine is in these things; 'tell it me, I pray,' signifies that it should be known.
9-13. And the prince of the butlers told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, In my dream behold a vine was before me; and in the vine were three shoots, and it was as though it budded, its blossom went up, and the clusters thereof ripened grapes. And Pharaoh's cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup, and I gave the cup upon the palm of Pharaoh. And Joseph said to him, This is the interpretation of it; The three shoots three days are these. In yet three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head, and shall bring thee back upon thy station, and thou shalt give Pharaoh's cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his butler.
'And the prince of the butlers told his dream to Joseph,' signifies that the celestial of the spiritual perceived the event concerning those things which were of the sensuous subject to the intellectual part, and which had hitherto been rejected; 'and said to him,' signifies revelation from perception; 'In my dream,' signifies prediction; 'behold a vine was before me,' signifies the intellectual part; 'and in the vine were three shoots,' signifies the derivations thence even to the last; 'and it was as though it budded,' signifies the influx by which the rebirth is effected; 'its blossom went up,' signifies the state near regeneration; 'and the clusters thereof ripened grapes,' signifies conjunction of spiritual truth with celestial good; ' and Pharaoh's cup was in my hand,' signifies the influx of the interior natural into the exterior, and the beginning of reception; 'and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup,' signifies reciprocal influx into the goods from a spiritual origin there; 'and I gave the cup upon the palm of Pharaoh,' signifies appropriation by the interior natural; 'and Joseph said to him, This is the interpretation of it,' signifies revelation from perception from the celestial in the natural as to what it had in itself; 'the three shoots three days are these,' signifies continuous derivations down to the last one; 'in yet three days,' signifies that there would then be a new state; 'shall Pharaoh lift up thy head,' signifies what is provided, and hence what is concluded; 'and shall bring thee back upon thy station,' signifies that the things which are of the sensuous subject to the intellectual part would be reduced into order, that they might be in the last place; 'and thou shalt give Pharaoh's cup into his hand,' signifies that thereby they may serve the interior natural; 'after the former manner,' signifies in accordance with the law of order; 'when thou wast his butler,' signifies as is usual with sensuous things of this kind.
14, 15. But remember me with thee when it as' well with thee, and do mercy I pray with me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house. For being carried off by theft I was carried away out of the land of the Hebrews; and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the pit.
'But remember me with thee,' signifies the reception of faith; 'when it is well with thee,' signifies when there is correspondence; 'and do mercy I pray with me,' signifies the reception of charity; 'and make mention of me unto Pharaoh,' signifies communication with the interior natural; 'and bring me out of this house,' signifies deliverance from evils; 'for being cared off by theft I was carried away,' signifies that heavenly things were alienated by evil; 'out of the land of the Hebrews,' signifies from the church; 'and here also have I done nothing,' signifies innocence; 'that they should put me into the pit,' signifies rejection among falsities.
16-19. And the prince of the bakers saw that he had interpreted good, and he said unto Joseph, I also was in my dream, and behold three baskets with holes in them upon my head; and in the uppermost basket there was of all food for Pharaoh, the work of the baker; and the bird did eat them out of the basket from upon my head. And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation thereof: The three baskets three days are these. In yet three days shall Pharaoh lift off thy head from upon thee, and shall hang thee upon wood; and the bird shall eat thy flesh from upon thee.
'And the prince of the bakers saw,' signifies the perception of the sensuous that is subject to the will part; 'that he had interpreted good,' signifies what would happen; 'and he said unto Joseph,' signifies the perception of the celestial in the natural; 'I also was in my dream,' signifies prediction; 'and behold three baskets,' signifies the successives of things of the will; 'with holes in them upon my head,' signifies without termination anywhere in the middle; 'and in the uppermost basket,' signifies the inmost of the will part; 'there was of all food for Pharaoh,' signifies full of celestial good for the nourishment of the natural; 'the work of the baker,' signifies according to every use of the sensuous; 'and the bird did eat them out of the basket from upon my head,' signifies that falsity from evil consumed it; 'and Joseph answered and said,' signifies revelation from perception from the celestial in the natural; 'This is the interpretation thereof,' signifies what it had in it; 'the three baskets,' signifies the successives of the things of the will; 'three days are these,' signifies even to the last; 'in yet three days,' signifies that which is in the last; 'shall Pharaoh lift off thy head from upon thee,' signifies what is concluded from what is foreseen; 'and shall hang thee upon wood,' signifies rejection and damnation; 'and the bird shall eat thy flesh from upon thee,' signifies that the falsity from evil will consume what is of these sensuous things.
20-23. And it came to pass on the third day, on Pharaoh's birthday, and he made a feast to all his servants; and he lifted up the head of the prince of the butlers and the head of the prince of the bakers in the midst of his servants. And he brought back the prince of the butlers upon his butlership, and he gave the cup upon Pharaoh's palm; and he hanged the prince of the bakers; as Joseph interpreted to them. And the prince of the butlers did not remember Joseph, and he forgot him.
'And it came to pass on the third day,' signifies in the last; 'on Pharaoh's birthday,' signifies when the natural was being regenerated; 'and he made a feast to all his servants,' signifies initiation and conjunction with the exterior natural; 'and he lifted up the head,' signifies according to what was provided and foreseen; 'of the prince of the butlers and the head of the prince of the bakers,' signifies concerning the sensuous things subject to both parts, the intellectual part and the will part; 'in the midst of his servants,' signifies which were among those things that were in the exterior natural; 'and he brought back the prince of the butlers upon his butlership,' signifies that the sensuous things of the intellectual part were received and made subordinate; 'and he gave the cup upon Pharaoh's palm,' signifies instrumental to the interior natural; 'and he hanged the prince of the bakers,' signifies that the sensuous things of the will part were rejected; 'as Joseph interpreted to them,' signifies prediction from the celestial in the natural; 'and the prince of the butlers did not remember Joseph,' signifies that there was not as yet conjunction in every way with the celestial of the natural; 'and he forgot him,' signifies removal.
[AC 5035-5170]
Author: Emanuel Swedenborg
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