Godbey's Commentary - Acts - Romans - Enter His Rest

dreams that he saw three luxuriant vines bearing luscious grapes, which he expresses, bearing the
wine to Pharaoh’s table. He tells Joseph, who interprets:
“The three vines are three days, at the expiration of which Pharaoh will take you out of
this prison and restore you to your butlership again.”
The interpretation is so good the chief baker is encouraged to try him on his dream.
“I dreamed that I had three baskets on my head, containing all kinds of sweet cakes used
on the royal table. But the fowls of the air lighted down and ate the bread out of the
baskets on my head.”
Joseph responds:
“The three baskets are three days, after which Pharaoh will send and take you out of this
prison, hang you on a tree, and the fowls of the air will eat your flesh off your bones.”
Sure enough, in three days the chief baker is taken out and hung and the chief butler restored to his
butlership. While the latter is going out Joseph says:
“When it goes well with you, remember me.”
In his royal splendor he forgets all about the humble request of the poor Hebrew boy. Pharaoh
dreams that he sees seven of the finest cattle he ever beheld come up out of the Nile and graze in a
meadow; then seven of the poorest stunted dwarfs. But the latter devoured the former, exhibiting no
change. Again in his dream he saw seven stalks of the finest corn he ever beheld growing on the
banks of the Nile. Then seven of the most worthless, withered and blasted by the east wind. But the
latter devoured the former and showed no change. He calls in all the magicians and astrologers and
wise men of Egypt. They are utterly dumfounded. Then says the chief butler: “Now I confess my sin.
There is a Hebrew boy in that dungeon who beats all creation to interpret dreams and evolve dark
sayings.” Pharaoh orders: “Bring him straight.” In one short hour Joseph stands before the king,
hears his wonderful dreams and proceeds to interpret: “O king, the dream is double, because it is sure
to come to pass. The seven fat cattle and fine ears of corn are seven years of plenty, such as have
never been known in the land of Egypt. The seven lean kine and the seven blasted ears of corn are
seven years of famine, which shall consume all the substance of the first seven years of plenty,
depopulating the nations with general starvation. Now, O king, look out some man of wisdom who
shall take this matter into his hands, build storehouses and lay up a supply of corn during the seven
years of plenty for the seven years of famine which shall come upon all the earth, so that no life will
survive unless this matter shall receive diligent attention.” “Why,” says the Pharaoh, “who in all the
world is so wise as yourself, the man to whom God has given wisdom beyond that of any other man
in all the earth?” Forthwith, Joseph is washed, dressed in the royal robes, a great chain of gold put
around his neck, a crown of gold on his head, mounted on a golden chariot, fifty royal couriers run
before him, shouting to all they meet, “Bow the knee, the king cometh.” What a wonderful emblem
of regeneration in which the sinner is elevated from the doom of hell to the palace of heaven. Here
Joseph, in one short hour, passes from the filthy dungeon to the proudest throne beneath the skies.