Aggada -- Translations into English; Bible. Old Testament -- Legends; Jewish legends; Midrash -- Translations into English
For a long time the people talked of nothing but the accusation raised
against Joseph by his mistress. In order to divert the attention of the
public from him, God ordained that two high officers, the chief butler
and the chief baker, should offend their lord, the king of Egypt, and
they were put in ward in the house of the captain of the guard. Now the
people ceased their talk about Joseph, and spoke only of the scandal at
court. The charges laid at the door of the noble prisoners were that
they had attempted to do violence to the daughter of Pharaoh, and they
had conspired to poison the king himself. Besides, they had shown
themselves derelict in their service. In the wine the chief butler had
handed to the king to drink, a fly had been discovered, and the bread
set upon the royal board by the chief baker contained a little
pebble."[143] On account of all these transgressions they were
condemned to death by Pharaoh, but for the sake of Joseph it was
ordained by Divine providence that the king should first detain them in
prison before he ordered their execution. The Lord had enkindled the
wrath of the king against his servants only that the wish of Joseph for
liberty might be fulfilled, for they were the instruments of his
deliverance from prison, and though they were doomed to death, yet in
consideration of the exalted office they had held at court, the keeper
of the prison accorded them privileges, as, for instance, a man was
detailed to wait upon them, and the one appointed thereto was
Joseph.[144] 1]
The chief butler and the chief baker had been confined in prison ten
years,[145] when they dreamed a dream, both of them, but as for the
interpretation, each dreamed only that of the other one's dream.[146]
In the morning when Joseph brought them the water for washing, he found
them sad, depressed in spirits, and, in the manner of the sages, he
asked them why they looked different on that day from other days. They
said unto him, "We have dreamed a dream this night, and our two dreams
resemble each other in certain particulars, and there is none that can
interpret them." And Joseph said unto them: "God granteth understanding
to man to interpret dreams. Tell them me, I pray you."[147] It was as a
reward for ascribing greatness and credit to Him unto whom it belongeth
that Joseph later attained to his lofty position.[148]
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