1
Ge 40:1-8.
英文原文
Ge 40:1-8.
TWO STATE PRISONERS.
1. the butler--not only the cup-bearer, but overseer of the royal vineyards, as well as the cellars; having, probably, some hundreds of people under him.
baker--or cook, had the superintendence of every thing relating to the providing and preparing of meats for the royal table. Both officers, especially the former, were, in ancient Egypt, always persons of great rank and importance; and from the confidential nature of their employment, as well as their access to the royal presence, they were generally the highest nobles or princes of the blood.
3
無標題
3. 法老就把他們下在監裏等等——無論他們犯了甚麼罪，在案情查明之前，他們被交給護衛長，即波提乏，看管；王室監獄就設在他屋子外邊的一部分。
英文原文
3. Pharaoh put them in ward, &c.--Whatever was their crime, they were committed, until their case could be investigated, to the custody of the captain of the guard, that is, Potiphar, in an outer part of whose house the royal prison was situated.
4
無標題
4. 護衛長把他們交給約瑟——不是那看守，雖然那看守望約瑟的心是最友善的；而是波提乏本人，看來此時他已確信這希伯來少年完全無辜；不過，也許為了避免他家中的事被揭發，他認為審慎起見仍把他留在監裏（見
Ps 37:5）。
他們在監裏多久——字面作「一些日子」，多久不詳；但既然他們是在王的生日那天被提審，便有人推測他們的罪是在前一年周年紀念日那天犯下的〔CALVIN〕。
英文原文
4. The captain of the guard charged Joseph with them--not the keeper, though he was most favorably disposed; but Potiphar himself, who, it would seem, was by this time satisfied of the perfect innocence of the young Hebrew; though, probably, to prevent the exposure of his family, he deemed it prudent to detain him in confinement (see
Ps 37:5).
They continued a season in ward--literally, "days," how long, is uncertain; but as they were called to account on the king's birthday, it has been supposed that their offense had been committed on the preceding anniversary [CALVIN].
5
無標題
5-8. 他們各人作了一個夢——約瑟受了真宗教之靈的影響，能體恤別人
(Ec 4:1； Ro 12:15； Php 2:4)。
有一天他見他們極其愁悶，便查問他們憂愁的原因；得知是由於他們各人前一夜所作的夢，他便先敬虔地把他們引到神面前
(Da 2:30； Isa 26:10)，
然後自願藉着神的幫助，為他們解明異象的含義。兩個官員在同一夜裏作這樣的夢，這顯著的事實中可以看出護理的影響。祂感動人的靈。
英文原文
5-8. they dreamed a dream--Joseph, influenced by the spirit of true religion, could feel for others
(Ec 4:1; Ro 12:15; Php 2:4).
Observing them one day extremely depressed, he inquired the cause of their melancholy; and being informed it was owing to a dream they had respectively dreamed during the previous night, after piously directing them to God
(Da 2:30; Isa 26:10),
he volunteered to aid them, through the divine help, in discovering the import of their vision. The influence of Providence must be seen in the remarkable fact of both officers dreaming such dreams in one night. He moves the spirits of men.
9
Ge 40:9-15.
Ge 40:9-15.
酒政的夢。
9-11. 我做夢，見一棵葡萄樹在我面前——所描述的異象場景，似乎描繪王在運動，由他的酒政伺候，給他一杯清涼的飲料。在一切場合，古埃及的王都被要求在飲酒上節制〔WILKINSON〕；但在這場景中，他所喝的是一種預備好的飲料，也許就是今日的果子露。一切都是當着王的面作的——杯被洗淨，葡萄汁被擠在其中；然後遞給他——不是緊握着；而是輕輕地擱在指尖上。
英文原文
Ge 40:9-15.
THE BUTLER'S DREAM.
9-11. In my dream, behold, a vine was before me--The visionary scene described seems to represent the king as taking exercise and attended by his butler, who gave him a cooling draught. On all occasions, the kings of ancient Egypt were required to practice temperance in the use of wine [WILKINSON]; but in this scene, it is a prepared beverage he is drinking, probably the sherbet of the present day. Everything was done in the king's presence--the cup was washed, the juice of the grapes pressed into it; and it was then handed to him--not grasped; but lightly resting on the tips of the fingers.
12
無標題
12-15. 約瑟說……講解是這樣——他以受靈感的解夢者身分說話，告訴酒政三天之內必恢復他一切職務的尊榮和特權；在作出這可喜的宣告之時，他懇切地請求這官員為他自己的獲釋出力。記錄中至今沒有表明約瑟心情的話；但這懇切的呼籲，顯露出他內心的悲傷和對獲釋的不耐渴望，這是他一切的敬虔和對神的信心都無法驅散的。
英文原文
12-15. Joseph said, . . . This is the interpretation--Speaking as an inspired interpreter, he told the butler that within three days he would be restored to all the honors and privileges of his office; and while making that joyful announcement, he earnestly bespoke the officer's influence for his own liberation. Nothing has hitherto met us in the record indicative of Joseph's feelings; but this earnest appeal reveals a sadness and impatient longing for release, which not all his piety and faith in God could dispel.
16
Ge 40:16-23.
Ge 40:16-23.
膳長的夢。
16. 我頭上頂着三個白籃子——所提到的情形正好描述了他的職務，這職務雖有許多助手，他仍親手去作。
白——字面作「滿了洞」，即柳條籃子。肉食頂在頭上用三個籃子運送，一個疊在一個之上；最上面的盛着糕餅。在從廚房到餐室的露天庭院中穿行時，食物被兀鷹、鷹、朱鷺或其他猛禽叼走，在埃及的王宮中是常見的事，正如如今在東方炎熱的國家中仍是日常發生的事。在埃及的城中，這些食肉鳥所造成的危險更大，因為牠們被視為神聖，不可殺害；牠們繁殖的數目之多，成了百姓極大的煩擾。
英文原文
Ge 40:16-23.
THE BAKER'S DREAM.
16. I had three white baskets--The circumstances mentioned exactly describe his duties, which, notwithstanding numerous assistants, he performed with his own hands.
white--literally, "full of holes"; that is, wicker baskets. The meats were carried to table upon the head in three baskets, one piled upon the other; and in the uppermost, the bakemeats. And in crossing the open courts, from the kitchen to the dining rooms, the removal of the viands by a vulture, eagle, ibis, or other rapacious bird, was a frequent occurrence in the palaces of Egypt, as it is an everyday incident in the hot countries of the East still. The risk from these carnivorous birds was the greater in the cities of Egypt, where being held sacred, it was unlawful to destroy them; and they swarmed in such numbers as to be a great annoyance to the people.
18
無標題
18, 19. 約瑟說，講解是這樣——大意是三天之內他要被處死。約瑟的話詳細描述了埃及所流行的一種死刑方式；即犯人被斬首，然後他那無頭的屍體被掛在路旁的樹上，直到被貪食的飛鳥逐漸啄食。
英文原文
18, 19. Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation--The purport was that in three days his execution should be ordered. The language of Joseph describes minutely one form of capital punishment that prevailed in Egypt; namely, that the criminal was decapitated and then his headless body gibbeted on a tree by the highway till it was gradually devoured by the ravenous birds.
20
無標題
20-22. 第三天，是法老的生日——這是一個節日，在宮中以極大的隆重來慶祝，並以釋放囚犯作為榮耀。因此，事情的結局正如約瑟所預言的臨到酒政和膳長。無疑地，他把如此淒慘的消息傳給膳長，心裏感到痛苦；但他不能不宣佈神所啟示給他的事；為真神的榮耀，他應當直言。
英文原文
20-22. it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday--This was a holiday season, celebrated at court with great magnificence and honored by a free pardon to prisoners. Accordingly, the issue happened to the butler and baker, as Joseph had foretold. Doubtless, he felt it painful to communicate such dismal tidings to the baker; but he could not help announcing what God had revealed to him; and it was for the honor of the true God that he should speak plainly.
23
無標題
23. 那酒政卻不記念約瑟——這正是人的本性。人在興盛之時，何等容易忘記並忽略那在患難中與他們作伴的人
(Am 6:6)！
這事雖不能歸功於酒政，卻是出於神智慧的安排；神藉著他的遺忘，使約瑟以別條路、別種途徑獲得解救。神聖的目的要求約瑟以另一途徑、由別種方法得著釋放。
英文原文
23. yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph--This was human nature. How prone are men to forget and neglect in prosperity, those who have been their companions in adversity
(Am 6:6)!
But although reflecting no credit on the butler, it was wisely ordered in the providence of God that he should forget him. The divine purposes required that Joseph should obtain his deliverance in another way, and by other means.
Ge 40:1-8.
兩個國事犯。
1. 酒政——不僅是捧爵者，更是御葡萄園和酒窖的監督；他手下可能有數百人。
膳長——或譚廚師，督管王膳一切有關採辦和預備的事。這兩個官職，特別是前者，在古埃及常是地位極高之人；由於其職務性質機密，又可常見王面，他們一般都是最高貴族或皇親國戚。