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英文原文
In this chapter things are working, though slowly, towards Joseph's advancement. I. Two of Pharaoh's servants are committed to prison, and there to Joseph's care, and so become witnesses of his extraordinary conduct, Ge 40:1-4. II. They dreamed each of them a dream, which Joseph interpreted (Ge 40:5-19), and the event verified the interpretation (Ge 40:20-22), and so they became witnesses of his extraordinary skill. III. Joseph recommends his case to one of them, whose preferment he foresaw (Ge 40:14,15), but in vain, Ge 40:23.
1-23
The History of Joseph (1717 BC)
约瑟的历史（主前 1717 年）
¹ 这事以後，埃及王的酒政和膳长得罪了他们的主埃及王。
² 法老就恼怒酒政和膳长这二臣。
³ 把他们下在护卫长府内的监里，就是约瑟被囚的地方。
⁴ 护卫长把他们交给约瑟，约瑟便伺候他们。他们有些日子在监里。
若非对约瑟的高升有益，我们本不会有这法老酒政和膳长的故事记在圣经中。世界是为教会而立，为教会的好处而治理的。请观察：1. 法老朝廷的两个大官，既得罪了王，便被下在监里。当知：高位是滑地；没有比君王的恩宠更不确定的了。那些以神的恩宠为幸福、以事奉他为事业的人，必发现他是比法老更好的主人，不像他那样 extreme 地计较人所行的错。关于法老这两个仆人的过错有许多猜测；有人以为不亚于谋害他的性命，另有人以为不过是偶然有一只苍蝇落入他的杯中、一点沙子落入他的饼中。无论是什么，护理借此把他们带进约瑟所在的监里。2. 护卫长本人——就是波提乏——把他们交约瑟照管（创 40:4），这暗示他如今开始与他和好，也许开始确信他的清白——虽然他不敢释放他，怕得罪他的妻子。施洗约翰必须失掉头颅，为要讨希罗底的喜悦。
⁵ 被囚在监之埃及王的酒政和膳长，二人同夜各作一梦，各梦都有讲解。
⁶ 到了早晨，约瑟进他们那里，见他们有愁闷的样子。
⁷ 他便问法老的臣子，就是与他同囚在他主人府里的，说：你们今日为什么面带愁容呢？
⁸ 他们对他说：我们各人作了一个梦，没有人能解。约瑟说：解梦不是出于神么？请你们将梦告诉我。
⁹ 酒政便将他的梦告诉约瑟说：我梦见在我面前有一棵葡萄树。
¹⁰ 树上有三根枝子，好像发了芽，开了花，上头的葡萄都成熟了。
¹¹ 法老的杯在我手中。我就拿葡萄挤在法老的杯里，将杯递在他手中。
¹² 约瑟对他说：你所作的梦是这样解。三根枝子就是三天。
¹³ 三天之内，法老必提你出监，叫你官复原职。你仍要递杯在法老的手中，和先前作酒政一样。
¹⁴ 但你得好处的时候，求你记念我。施恩与我，在法老面前题说我，救我出这监牢。
¹⁵ 我实在是从希伯来人之地被拐来的。我在这里也没有作过什么，叫他们把我下在监里。
¹⁶ 膳长见梦解得好，就对约瑟说：我在梦中见我头上顶着三筐白饼。
¹⁷ 极上的筐子里，有为法老烤的各样食物。有飞鸟来吃我头上筐子里的食物。
¹⁸ 约瑟说：你的梦是这样解。三个筐子就是三天。
¹⁹ 三天之内，法老必斩断你的头，把你挂在木头上。必有飞鸟来吃你身上的肉。
请观察：I. 神特别的护理，他以不寻常的梦充满了这两个囚犯的心——那些在他们身上留下 extraordinary 印象、并带着属神来源之证据的梦，同在一夜之间。当知：神对人的灵有直接的 access，他能随时使它们服事他自己的目的，完全超出当事人所图谋的。在他面前，一切心都是敞开的；古时他不仅对他自己的百姓，也对别人，在梦中说话（伯 33:15）。将来的事如此被预言，却非常晦暗。
II. 这些梦在囚犯心中所留下的印象（创 40:6）：他们有愁闷的样子。 不是监牢使他们愁闷（他们对此已相当习惯，也许在那里过得相当快活），而是那梦。当知：神有不止一种方法使那当忧愁之人的灵忧愁。那些在外在患难之下足够刚硬、不肯屈服的罪人，神却能找出方法惩罚；他能借伤他们的灵、把重担放在他们身上，来卸下他们的车轮。
III. 约瑟对他们极大的温柔和同情。他关切地询问：你们今日为什么面带愁容呢？（创 40:7）。约瑟是他们的看守，在那个职务上他是温和的。当知：留意甚至那些在我们 check 之下之人的忧愁，是我们所当行的。约瑟是他们患难中的同伴，他如今与他们同作囚犯，也曾是作梦之人。当知：在苦难中的相通，有助于对受苦之人动慈心。让我们由此学习：1. 关切别人的忧愁和患难，探问我们弟兄面容愁闷的因由；我们当常常考虑受压迫者的眼泪（传 4:1）。受苦之人被人留意，是某种解脱。2. 探究我们自己忧愁的因由，“我为什么面带愁容？有理由吗？是好的理由吗？岂没有足以平衡它的安慰之理由，无论它是什么？我的心哪，你为何忧闷？”
IV. 梦本身及其解释。困扰这些囚犯的，是他们既被关押，便无法求助于那些自称能解梦的埃及占卜者：这里在监中没有人能解（创 40:8）。当知：那些在监中和忧愁中的人，当愿有解释者与他们同在，指引他们明白护理的意义和设计（以利户 allude 到这样的：若有一位传话的、千中之一，向人指示他的正直，伯 33:23,24）——指引他们良心的解释者，而非满足他们好奇心的。约瑟据此指引他们当看何处：解梦不是出于神么？ 他所指的神是他所敬拜的，是他借 此努力引导他们认识的那位。当知：预告将来的事是神的特权（赛 46:10）。所以他必须得着人对预见之恩赐的一切赞美——无论是寻常的还是 extraordinary 的。约瑟先设了一个 caveat 防备自己的赞美，小心把荣耀归给神，如同但以理（但 2:30）。约瑟暗示：解梦若出于神，他便是自由的主，可以把这能力赐给他所愿意的人，所以请把你们的梦告诉我。 如今，1. 酒政的梦是他得释放、三天之内复位之快乐预兆；约瑟如此为他解释（创 40:12,13）。大概他素来是把熟透的葡萄直接挤进法老的杯中，那个时代的朴素还不熟悉近代使酒变清的技艺。请观察：约瑟预言了酒政的得救，却没有预见自己的。他许久之前梦见过自己的尊荣和他哥哥们当向他行的礼，他如今必须靠这记念支持自己，没有任何新的或新鲜的启示。为安慰神之圣徒而设的异象是为许久以後之事的，关乎很远的事；而别人的预见，如此处所记的，不过看三天之前。2. 膳长的梦预示他可耻的死（创 40:18,19）。那一个梦的喜乐解释鼓励他说出他的。如此伪善者听见向好基督徒应许的好事之时，也想插一份，虽然他们在其中无分无关。约瑟给他带来的不是更好的消息，这不是他的错。传道人不过是解释者，他们不能把事情变成与实际不同的；所以他们若忠心办事，而他们的信息证明不悦人，那不是他们的错。坏的梦不能指望好的解释。
V. 约瑟利用这机会在朝廷得一个朋友（创 40:14,15）。他谦逊地向他所预言将复位的酒政求恩：但你得好处的时候，求你记念我。 虽然对约瑟的尊重使监牢对他尽可能 easy——虽然仍是个监牢，却没有人怪他渴慕自由。在此请看：1. 他对自己的案件作何等谦逊的陈述（创 40:15）。他不 reflection 卖他的弟兄；他只说：我实在是从希伯来人之地被拐来的——即不公平地从那里被带走，至于错在谁处无关紧要。他也不 reflection 在这监禁中他主母（那控告者）和他主人（那审判官）对他所行的不义；他只温和地声明自己的无辜：*我在这里也没有作过什么，叫他们把我下在监里。*当知：当我们被召为自己申辩之时，当小心尽可能避免说别人的坏话。让我们以证明自己无辜为足，不可喜欢以别人的罪来 upbraid 他们。2. 他向酒政作何等谦逊的请求：只求你记念我。若在你的路上，请你向我施恩。 他特别的祈求是：救我出这监牢。 他没有说：“把我带进法老的宫中，在朝廷给我谋一个职位。” 不，他求的是释放，不是高升。当知：护理有时为那最不贪求、最不指望尊荣的人，设计最大的尊荣。
²⁰ 到了第三天，是法老的生日。他为众臣仆设摆筵席。把酒政和膳长提出监来。
²¹ 使酒政官复原职。他仍旧递杯在法老手中。
²² 却把膳长挂起来。正如约瑟向他们所解的话。
²³ 酒政却不记念约瑟，竟忘了他。
此处有：1. 约瑟对梦的解释在所定的那一日的应验。酒政和膳长都被 prefer 了——一个回到他的职位，另一个上了绞架——都在三日之末。当知：极大的变化，无论向好还是向坏，常发生在极短的时间内——自然之轮的运转何等突然。分别对他们案件下判断的场合，是庆祝法老的生日——在这一天，他一切臣仆按惯例都必须伺候他，这两个人便被询问，他们被关押的因由也被查究。庆祝君王的生日，是自古以来对他们表示尊敬的一分；若不滥用，如耶罗波安的（何 7:5）和希律的（可 6:21），这习俗是够无辜的：我们都可以有益地留意我们的生日——为出生的怜悯感恩，为其中之罪忧伤，并期待我们死的日子胜于我们生的日子。法老在他的生日提这两个囚犯的头——即审问他们（拿伯受审之时被高举在百姓之上，王上 21:9）——并使酒政复位，把膳长挂起来。若酒政无辜而膳长有罪，我们必须承认护理在澄清无辜者之清白、使有罪者之罪追上他之事上的公正。若两人同样无辜或同样有罪，那便是那些以尼布甲尼撒所自夸的权柄为骄傲的大君王们专横的一个实例（但 5:19：他愿意杀谁就杀谁，愿意存留谁就存留谁）——忘了在他们之上还有一位更高的，他们要向他交账。2. 约瑟对酒政的期望的落空：他不记念约瑟，竟忘了他（创 40:23）。(1.) 请在此看一个卑鄙忘恩的实例；约瑟曾在他手中理当受好待——曾伺候他、同情他、帮他得了一个对他梦的有利解释，在各样事上向他推荐自己为一个 extraordinary 之人；他却忘了他。我们若在这世上以爱换恨、以尊敬换轻视，不可以为希奇。(2.) 请看那些自己安逸的人何等容易忘记在苦难中的人。也许先知论到那些用大碗喝酒，不为约瑟的苦难担忧之人（摩 6:6），正是 allusion 到这故事。让我们由此学习停止倚靠人。约瑟也许过分依赖他在酒政中的利益，对自己向他指望太多；他借失望学会了唯独信靠神。我们不能对人指望太少，也不能对神指望太多。
有人注意到这故事中约瑟与基督的相似。约瑟的同受苦者如同那两个与基督同钉十字架的强盗——一个得救，一个被定罪。（这是赖特福特博士引自布劳顿先生的。）那两人中的一个，当约瑟对他说你得好处的时候求你记念我之时，忘了他；但那两人中的一个，当他对基督说你得国降临的时候求你记念我之时，却未被忘记。我们公正地责备酒政对约瑟的忘恩，然而我们对主耶稣的行事却更加不诚。约瑟不过预言了酒政的释放，基督却为我们成就了我们的释放——为我们与万王之王代求；我们却忘了他——虽然常被提醒，虽然我们曾应许总不忘记他：如此我们报答他何等不善，如同愚昧无智的百姓。
英文原文
The History of Joseph (1717 BC)
¹ 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.
² And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers.
³ And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound.
⁴ And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them: and they continued a season in ward.
We should not have had this story of Pharaoh's butler and baker recorded in scripture if it had not been serviceable to Joseph's preferment. The world stands for the sake of the church, and is governed for its good. Observe, 1. Two of the great officers of Pharaoh's court, having offended the king, are committed to prison. Note, High places are slippery places; nothing more uncertain than the favour of princes. Those that make God's favour their happiness, and his service their business, will find him a better Master than Pharaoh was, and not so extreme to mark what they do amiss. Many conjectures there are concerning the offence of these servants of Pharaoh; some make it no less than an attempt to take away his life, others no more than the casual lighting of a fly into his cup and a little sand into his bread. Whatever it was, Providence by this means brought them into the prison where Joseph was. 2. The captain of the guard himself, who was Potiphar, charged Joseph with them (Ge 40:4), which intimates that he began now to be reconciled to him, and perhaps to be convinced of his innocence, though he durst not release him for fear of disobliging his wife. John Baptist must lose his head, to please Herodias.
⁵ 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.
⁶ And Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and looked upon them, and, behold, they were sad.
⁷ 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?
⁸ 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.
⁹ And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, In my dream, behold, a vine was before me;
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:
¹¹ 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.
¹² And Joseph said unto him, This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days:
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.
¹⁴ But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and show kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house:
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.
¹⁶ 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:
¹⁷ 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.
¹⁸ And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation thereof: The three baskets are three days:
¹⁹ 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.
Observe, I. The special providence of God, which filled the heads of these two prisoners with unusual dreams, such as made extraordinary impressions upon them, and carried with them evidences of a divine origin, both in one night. Note, God has immediate access to the spirits of men, which he can make serviceable to his own purposes whenever he pleases, quite beyond the intention of those concerned. To him all hearts are open, and anciently he spoke not only to his own people, but to others, in dreams, Job 33:15. Things to come were thus foretold, but very obscurely.
II. The impression which was made upon these prisoners by their dreams (Ge 40:6): They were sad. It was not the prison that made them sad (they were pretty well used to that, and perhaps lived jovially there), but the dream. Note, God has more ways than one to sadden the spirits of those that are to be made sad. Those sinners that are hardy enough under outward troubles, and will not yield to them, yet God can find out a way to punish; he can take off their wheels, by wounding their spirits, and laying loads upon them.
III. Joseph's great tenderness and compassion towards them. He enquired with concern, Wherefore look you so sadly to-day? Ge 40:7. Joseph was their keeper, and in that office he was mild. Note, It becomes us to take cognizance of the sorrows even of those that are under our check. Joseph was their companion in tribulation, he was now a prisoner with them, and had been a dreamer too. Note, Communion in sufferings helps to work compassion towards those that do suffer. Let us learn hence, 1. To concern ourselves in the sorrows and troubles of others, and to enquire into the reason of the sadness of our brethren's countenances; we should be often considering the tears of the oppressed, Ec 4:1. It is some relief to those that are in trouble to be taken notice of. 2. To enquire into the causes of our own sorrow, "Wherefore do I look so sadly? Is there a reason? Is it a good reason? Is there not a reason for comfort sufficient to balance it, whatever it is? Why art thou cast down, O my soul?"
IV. The dreams themselves, and the interpretation of them. That which troubled these prisoners was that being confined they could not have recourse to the diviners of Egypt who pretended to interpret dreams: There is no interpreter here in the prison, Ge 40:8. Note, There are interpreters which those that are in prison and sorrow should wish to have with them, to instruct them in the meaning and design of Providence (Elihu alludes to such, when he says, If there be an interpreter, one among a thousand, to show unto man his uprightness, Job 33:23,24), interpreters to guide their consciences, not to satisfy their curiosity. Joseph hereupon directed them which way to look: Do not interpretations belong to God? He means the God whom he worshipped, to the knowledge of whom he endeavours hereby to lead them. Note, It is God's prerogative to foretel things to come, Isa 46:10. He must therefore have the praise of all the gifts of foresight which men have, ordinary or extraordinary. Joseph premises a caveat against his own praise, and is careful to transmit the glory to God, as Daniel, Da 2:30. Joseph suggests, "If interpretations belong to God, he is a free agent, and may communicate the power to whom he pleases, and therefore tell me your dreams." Now, 1. The chief butler's dream was a happy presage of his enlargement, and re-advancement, within three days; and so Joseph explained it to him, Ge 40:12,13. Probably it had been usual with him to press the full-ripe grapes immediately into Pharaoh's cup, the simplicity of that age not being acquainted with the modern arts of making the wine fine. Observe, Joseph foretold the chief butler's deliverance, but he did not foresee his own. He had long before dreamt of his own honour, and the obeisance which his brethren should do to him, with the remembrance of which he must now support himself, without any new or fresh discoveries. The visions that are for the comfort of God's saints are for a great while to come, and relate to things that are very far off, while the foresights of others, like this recorded there, look but three days before them. 2. The chief baker's dream portended his ignominious death, Ge 40:18,19. The happy interpretation of the other's dream encouraged him to relate his. Thus hypocrites, when they hear good things promised to good Christians, would put in for a share, though they have no part nor lot in the matter. It was not Joseph's fault that he brought him no better tidings. Ministers are but interpreters, they cannot make the thing otherwise than it is; if therefore they deal faithfully, and their message prove unpleasing, it is not their fault. Bad dreams cannot expect a good interpretation.
V. The improvement Joseph made of this opportunity to get a friend at court, Ge 40:14,15. He modestly bespoke the favour of the chief butler, whose preferment he foretold: But think of me when it shall be well with thee. Though the respect paid to Joseph made the prison as easy to him as a prison could be, yet none can blame him for being desirous of liberty. See here, 1. What a modest representation he makes of his own case, Ge 40:15. He does not reflect upon his brethren that sold him; he only says, I was stolen out of the land of the Hebrews, that is, unjustly sent thence, no matter where the fault was. Nor does he reflect on the wrong done him in this imprisonment by his mistress that was his prosecutrix, and his master that was his judge; but mildly avers his own innocence: Here have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon. Note, When we are called to vindicate ourselves we should carefully avoid, as much as may be, speaking ill of others. Let us be content to prove ourselves innocent, and not be fond of upbraiding others with their guilt. 2. What a modest request he makes to the chief butler: "Only, think of me. Pray do me a kindness, if it lie in your way." And his particular petition is, Bring me out of this house. He does not say, "Bring me into Pharaoh's house, get me a place at court." No, he begs for enlargement, not preferment. Note, Providence sometimes designs the greatest honours for those that least covet or expect them.
²⁰ 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.
²¹ And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand:
²² But he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them.
²³ Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him.
Here is, 1. The verifying of Joseph's interpretation of the dreams, on the very day prefixed. The chief butler and baker were both advanced, one to his office, the other to the gallows, and both at the three days' end. Note, Very great changes, both for the better and for the worse, often happen in a very little time, so sudden are the revolutions of the wheel of nature. The occasion of giving judgment severally upon their case was the solemnizing of Pharaoh's birth-day, on which, all his servants being obliged by custom to attend him, these two came to be enquired after, and the cause of their commitment looked into. The solemnizing of the birth-day of princes has been an ancient piece of respect done them; and if it be not abused, as Jeroboam's was (Ho 7:5), and Herod's (Mk 6:21), is a usage innocent enough: and we may all profitably take notice of our birth-days, with thankfulness for the mercies of our birth, sorrow for the sinfulness of it, and an expectation of the day of our death as better than the day of our birth. On Pharaoh's birth-day he lifted up the head of these two prisoners, that is, arraigned and tried them (when Naboth was tried he was set on high among the people, 1Ki 21:9), and he restored the chief butler, and hanged the chief baker. If the butler was innocent and the baker guilty, we must own the equity of Providence in clearing up the innocency of the innocent, and making the sin of the guilty to find him out. If both were either equally innocent or equally guilty, it is an instance of the arbitrariness of such great princes as pride themselves in that power which Nebuchadnezzar set up for (Da 5:19, whom he would he slew, and whom he would he kept alive), forgetting that there is a higher than they, to whom they are accountable. 2. The disappointing of Joseph's expectation from the chief butler: He remembered not Joseph, but forgot him, Ge 40:23. (1.) See here an instance of base ingratitude; Joseph had deserved well at his hands, had ministered to him, sympathized with him, helped him to a favourable interpretation of his dream, had recommended himself to him as an extraordinary person upon all accounts; and yet he forgot him. We must not think it strange if in this world we have hatred shown us for our love, and slights for our respects. (2.) See how apt those that are themselves at ease are to forget others in distress. Perhaps it is in allusion to this story that the prophet speaks of those that drink wine in bowls, and are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph, Am 6:6. Let us learn hence to cease from man. Joseph perhaps depended too much upon his interest in the chief butler, and promised himself too much from him; he learned by his disappointment to trust in God only. We cannot expect too little from man nor too much from God.
Some observe the resemblance between Joseph and Christ in this story. Joseph's fellow-sufferers were like the two thieves that were crucified with Christ—the one saved, the other condemned. (It is Dr. Lightfoot's remark, from Mr. Broughton.) One of these, when Joseph said to him, Remember me when it shall be well with thee, forget him; but one of those, when he said to Christ, Remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom, was not forgotten. We justly blame the chief butler's ingratitude to Joseph, yet we conduct ourselves much more disingenuously towards the Lord Jesus. Joseph had but foretold the chief butler's enlargement, but Christ wrought out ours, mediated with the King of kings for us; yet we forget him, though often reminded of him, though we have promised never to forget him: thus ill do we requite him, like foolish people and unwise.
本章之事虽缓慢，却正向着约瑟的高升推进。I. 法老的两个臣仆被下在监里，交在约瑟手下照管，于是成了他非凡操守的见证人（创 40:1-4）。II. 他们各人各作一梦，约瑟为之圆解（创 40:5-19），后来的结局验证了解释（创 40:20-22），于是他们成了他非凡智慧的见证人。III. 约瑟预见其中一人将要复职，便把自己的案情托付于他（创 40:14,15），却归于徒然（创 40:23）。