Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 40:16
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:
16. I also ] The chief baker is encouraged to relate his dream. There are certain conspicuous similarities in the two dreams: (1) each man is discharging his own special office; (2) the number “3” is a feature in both.
of white bread ] LXX , Lat. tria canistra farinae. Instead of “white bread,” some scholars prefer the rendering “baskets of open wicker-work,” viz. “baskets shewing their contents” (so Rashi). Symmachus, = “baskets of palm-branches.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
White baskets; so called from the colour, either of the baskets, which were made of pilled, and so white twigs, or of the things contained in them, as white bread, &c.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
16. I had three white basketsThecircumstances mentioned exactly describe his duties, which,notwithstanding numerous assistants, he performed with his own hands.
whiteliterally, “fullof holes”; that is, wicker baskets. The meats were carried totable upon the head in three baskets, one piled upon the other; andin the uppermost, the bakemeats. And in crossing the open courts,from the kitchen to the dining rooms, the removal of the viands by avulture, eagle, ibis, or other rapacious bird, was a frequentoccurrence in the palaces of Egypt, as it is an everyday incident inthe hot countries of the East still. The risk from these carnivorousbirds was the greater in the cities of Egypt, where being heldsacred, it was unlawful to destroy them; and they swarmed in suchnumbers as to be a great annoyance to the people.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good,…. Meaning not that it was right and just, though it was; but that it was agreeable and pleasing, and portended good in the event; and therefore hoped a like interpretation would be given of his dream, and this encouraged him to tell it, which perhaps otherwise he would not have done:
he said unto Joseph, I also [was] in a dream; or had a dream, and in it things were represented to his mind as follows:
and, behold, [I had] three white baskets on my head; which were made of wicker, of rods that had the bark pulled off, and so were white; or which had holes in them, baskets wrought with holes, after the manner of network; though some think this denotes not the colour or form of the basket, but of the bread in them, and interpret the words, baskets of white bread, as Saadiah Gaon, and so the Targum of Jonathan, baskets of most pure bread, and the Targum of Jerusalem, baskets of hot bread; this dream was very agreeable to his office and business as a baker.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Encouraged by this favourable interpretation, the chief baker also told his dream: “ I too,…in my dream: behold, baskets of white bread upon my head, and in the top basket all kinds of food for Pharaoh, pastry; and the birds ate it out of the basket from my head.” In this dream, the carrying of the baskets upon the head is thoroughly Egyptian; for, according to Herod. 2, 35, the men in Egypt carry burdens upon the head, the women upon the shoulders. And, according to the monuments, the variety of confectionary was very extensive (cf. Hengst. p. 27). In the opening words, “ I too, ” the baker points to the resemblance between his dream and the cup-bearer’s. The resemblance was not confined to the sameness of the numbers-three baskets of white bread, and three branches of the vine-but was also seen in the fact that his official duty at the court was represented in the dream. But instead of Pharaoh taking the bread from his hand, the birds of heaven ate it out of the basket upon his head. And Joseph gave this interpretation: “ The three baskets signify three days: within that time Pharaoh will take away thy head from thee (“lift up thy head,” as in Gen 40:13, but with “away from thee,” i.e., behead thee), and hang thee on the stake (thy body after execution; vid., Deu 21:22-23), and the birds will eat thy flesh from off thee.” However simple and close this interpretation of the two dreams may appear, the exact accordance with the fulfilment was a miracle wrought by God, and showed that as the dreams originated in the instigation of God, the interpretation was His inspiration also.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
Verses 16-19:
Joseph’s interpretation of the butler’s dream encouraged the baker to ask for the meaning of the dream he had which was similar. Joseph could offer no word of hope. This dream meant that the baker would be executed within three days. The text indicates that this execution would be by decapitation, and then crucifixion. This was a common mode of capital punishment practiced in Egypt.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
16. When the chief baker saw (153) He does not care respecting the skill and fidelity of Joseph as an interpreter; but because Joseph had brought good and useful tidings to his companion, he also desires an interpretation, which he hopes will prove according to his mind. So, many, with ardor and alacrity, desire the word of God, not because they simply wish to be governed by the Lord, and to know what is right, but because they dream of mere enjoyment. When, however, the doctrine does not correspond with their wishes, they depart sorrowful and wounded. Now, although the explanation of the dream was about to prove unpleasant and severe; yet Joseph, by declaring, without ambiguity, what had been revealed unto him, executed with fidelity the office divinely committed to him. This freedom must be maintained by prophets and teachers, that they may not hesitate, by their teaching, to inflict a wound on those whom God has sentenced to death. All love to be flattered. Hence the majority of teachers, in desiring to yield to the corrupt wishes of the world, adulterate the word of God. Wherefore, no one is a sincere minister of God’s word, but he, who despising reproach, and being ready, as often as it may be necessary, to attack various offenses, will frame his method of teaching according to the command of God. Joseph would, indeed, have preferred to augur well concerning both; but since it is not in his power to give a prosperous fortune to any one, nothing remains for him but frankly to pronounce whatever he has received from the Lord. So, formerly, although the people chose for themselves prophets who would promise them abundance of wine and oil and corn, while they exclaimed loudly against the holy prophets, because they let fall nothing but threatening, (for these complaints are related in Micah,) yet it was the duty of the servants of the Lord, who had been sent to denounce vengeance, to proceed with severity, although they brought upon themselves hatred and danger.
(153) “The chief baker, in his dream, carries the wicker baskets with various choice baker’s commodities on his head. Similar woven baskets, flat and open, for carrying grapes and other fruits, are found represented on the monuments. The art of baking was carried to a high degree of perfection among the Egyptians.” — Egypt and the Books of Moses, p. 27. — Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(16, 17) Three white baskets.Rashi explains the phrase of baskets of wicker-work, but most commentators agree in rendering it baskets of white bread. The bakemeats were all preparations of pastry and confectionery, as throughout the Bible meat does not mean flesh, but food. (Comp. Luk. 24:41; Joh. 21:5.)
On my head.The Egyptian men carried Burdens on their heads; the women on their shoulders (Herod. ii. 35).
Bakemeats.Heb., All sorts of work for Pharaoh the work of a baker.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
16. Three white baskets Rather, three baskets of white bread . On my head The monuments illustrate this method of carrying baskets in ancient Egypt .
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘When the head baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said to Joseph, “I also was in my dream and behold three baskets of white bread were on my head, and in the top basket there were all manner of baked foods for Pharaoh, and the birds ate them out of the basket on my head.” ’
Again we have a summary of the dream. At such times men tend to be verbose. But the central point was that bread and food meant for Pharaoh was eaten by birds.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Gen 40:16. Three white baskets White wicker baskets full of holes. It was usual with the ancients to serve their bread at table in baskets; and Herodotus tells us, that among the AEgyptians the women carried burdens on their shoulders, and the men on their heads; hence the baker said, I had three baskets [one upon another] on my head.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Pro 16:33 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Gen 40:16 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:
Ver. 16. When the chief baker saw. ] So when hypocrites hear good to be spoken, in the word, to God’s children, they also listen, and fasten upon the comforts, as pertaining to them: they “receive the word with joy”: Mat 13:20 they laugh, as men use to do in some merry dream; they catch at the deserts as children, and conclude with Haman, that they are the men whom the king means to honour. But when they must practise duty, or bear the cross, they depart “sad”; Mar 10:22 and Christ may keep his heaven to himself, if it be had on no other conditions.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Gen 40:16-19
16When the chief baker saw that he had interpreted favorably, he said to Joseph, “I also saw in my dream, and behold, there were three baskets of white bread on my head; 17and in the top basket there were some of all sorts of baked food for Pharaoh, and the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head.” 18Then Joseph answered and said, “This is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days; 19within three more days Pharaoh will lift up your head from you and will hang you on a tree, and the birds will eat your flesh off you.”
Gen 40:16 “I also saw in my dream, and behold, there were three baskets of white bread on my head” The Hebrew term for “white bread” (BDB 301 I) is a very rare term which comes from an Aramaic and Arabic root which means “white” (NIDOTTE, vol. 2, p. 54). It could refer to a white wicker basket where birds could eat the bread from both the top and the sides (cf. Gen 40:17).
It is interesting to note that in Canaan women carried heavy loads on their heads, but in Egypt only the men carried heavy loads on their heads, while the women carried them on their shoulders. This shows the unique historicity of this account.
Gen 40:17 “all sorts of baked food for Pharaoh” This is quite accurate historically as we have learned from certain Egyptian documents that there were 38 kinds of cakes and 57 kinds of bread known in Egypt (see note at Gen 40:1).
Gen 40:19 “Pharaoh will lift up your head from you” It is obvious from Gen 40:13-19 that there is a radical reinterpretation of this phrase “lift up your head” (BDB 669, KB 724, Qal IMPERFECT). In Gen 40:13 it simply means to “lift up one’s head so as to do them good” (cf. Num 6:26). It is an idiom for “release” (cf. 2Ki 25:27). In Gen 40:19 it means to “lift up one’s head so as to cut it off” (BDB 671, 3,b).
It is also obvious that Gen 40:19 does not refer to hanging because it is difficult to hang one whose head has been cut off! This hanging apparently meant to hang or to impale one publicly after he was already dead (cf. Jos 8:29; 1Sa 31:9-10; 2Sa 4:12). This seems to be the general intent of this public impaling as can be ascertained from Deu 21:23. The fact that the man’s body would be eaten by birds would be especially horrendous to an Egyptian who place so much emphasis on embalming after death to preserve the body.
One wonders if there is a connection between
1. “prison” (lit. “round”) of Gen 39:20-23; Gen 40:3; Gen 40:5
2. “dungeon” (lit. “pit”) of Gen 40:15
3. “lift up”
Could the prison have been a large round hole in the earth?
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
white, or, wicker.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
the chief: Gen 40:1, Gen 40:2
white baskets: or, baskets full of holes
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
40:16 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 {f} white baskets on my head:
(f) That is made of white twigs, or as some read, baskets full of holes.