Genesis 40:20
in Genesis 40On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he held a feast for all his officials, and in their presence he lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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 the head of the chief baker among his servants.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Genesis 40
Commentary
4 notes on this versePharaoh’s birthday - The distinguishing a birthday by a feast appears from this place to have been a very ancient custom. It probably had its origin from a correct notion of the immortality of the soul, as the commencement of life must appear of great consequence to that person who believed he was to live for ever. St. Matthew (Mat 14:6) mentions Herod’s keeping his birthday; and examples of this kind are frequent to the present time in most nations.
This site's exposition
which was Pharaoh's birthday
on Genesis 40:20-22
Both readings come true on the third day, and Pharaoh's birthday feast lifts up the heads of both men, one to his office and the other to a tree. Clarke notes that this is the first birthday feast recorded in Scripture, and the one other the Bible reports is Herod's, which also ends with a head. Whatever Joseph says happens exactly.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
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.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The words behind it
22 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיְהִ֣י׀ | vayhi | and it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| בַּיּ֣וֹם | baiyom | on the day | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֗י | hashelishi | <the> third | H7992 → | 107 times |
| י֚וֹם | yom | [the] day of | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| הֻלֶּ֣דֶת | huledet | being born | H3205 → | 496 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| פַּרְעֹ֔ה | paroh | Pharaoh | H6547 → | 274 times |
| וַיַּ֥עַשׂ | vaiyaas | and he made | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| מִשְׁתֶּ֖ה | mishteh | a feast | H4960 → | 46 times |
| לְכָל־ | lekhol | for all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| עֲבָדָ֑יו | ʾavadav | servants his | H5650 → | 799 times |
| וַיִּשָּׂ֞א | vaiyisa' | and he lifted up | H5375 → | 656 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| רֹ֣אשׁ׀ | rosh | [the] head of | H7218 → | 599 times |
| שַׂ֣ר | sar | [the] chief of | H8269 → | 421 times |
| הַמַּשְׁקִ֗ים | hamashkim | the cup bearers | H4945 → | 19 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| רֹ֛אשׁ | rosh | [the] head of | H7218 → | 599 times |
| שַׂ֥ר | sar | [the] chief of | H8269 → | 421 times |
| הָאֹפִ֖ים | haofim | the bakers | H644 → | 25 times |
| בְּת֥וֹךְ | betokh | in among | H8432 → | 418 times |
| עֲבָדָֽיו׃ | ʾavadav | servants his | H5650 → | 799 times |
וַיְהִ֣י׀and it was
vayhiH1961 →3559 times
בַּיּ֣וֹםon the day
baiyomH3117 →2304 times
הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֗י<the> third
hashelishiH7992 →107 times
י֚וֹם[the] day of
yomH3117 →2304 times
הֻלֶּ֣דֶתbeing born
huledetH3205 →496 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
פַּרְעֹ֔הPharaoh
parohH6547 →274 times
וַיַּ֥עַשׂand he made
vaiyaasH6213 →2628 times
מִשְׁתֶּ֖הa feast
mishtehH4960 →46 times
לְכָל־for all
lekholH3605 →5413 times
עֲבָדָ֑יוservants his
ʾavadavH5650 →799 times
וַיִּשָּׂ֞אand he lifted up
vaiyisa'H5375 →656 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
רֹ֣אשׁ׀[the] head of
roshH7218 →599 times
שַׂ֣ר[the] chief of
sarH8269 →421 times
הַמַּשְׁקִ֗יםthe cup bearers
hamashkimH4945 →19 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
רֹ֛אשׁ[the] head of
roshH7218 →599 times
שַׂ֥ר[the] chief of
sarH8269 →421 times
הָאֹפִ֖יםthe bakers
haofimH644 →25 times
בְּת֥וֹךְin among
betokhH8432 →418 times
עֲבָדָֽיו׃servants his
ʾavadavH5650 →799 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Kings 25:27On the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month of the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Judah’s King Jehoiachin, in the year Evil-merodach became king of Babylon, he released King Jehoiachin of Judah from…
it leads to
- Genesis 40:13
Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore your position. You will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you did when you were his cupbearer.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Jeremiah 52:31–34
On the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth month of the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the first year of the reign of Evil-merodach king of Babylon, he pardoned…
- 2 Kings 24:12
Jehoiachin king of Judah, his mother, his servants, his commanders, and his officials all surrendered to the king of Babylon. So in the eighth year of his reign, the king of Babylon took him…
- Proverbs 21:1
The king’s heart is a waterway in the hand of the LORD; He directs it where He pleases.
- Genesis 40:13
Through
Mark 6:21On Herod’s birthday, her opportunity arose. Herod held a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee.
it leads to
- Esther 2:18
Then the king held a great banquet, Esther’s banquet, for all his officials and servants. He proclaimed a tax holiday in the provinces and gave gifts worthy of the king’s bounty.
- Esther 2:18
Through
Matthew 14:6On Herod’s birthday, however, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod
it leads to
- Mark 6:21–23
On Herod’s birthday, her opportunity arose. Herod held a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee.
- Hosea 1:5–6
And on that day I will break the bow of Israel in the Valley of Jezreel.”
- Mark 6:21–23
Through
Genesis 40:13Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore your position. You will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you did when you were his cupbearer.
it leads to
- Psalms 3:3
But You, O LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, and the One who lifts my head.
- Psalms 3:3
About Genesis
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763).