Bible Strands
Genesis 41:9
Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I recall my failures.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The chief cupbearer speaks directly to Pharaoh in the morning after the king’s spirit is troubled by uninterpretable dreams. He initiates the conversation to explain his past imprisonment.
The words — חֲטָאַ֕/י (cha.ta.'A/i) translates literally as "my sins," marking the cupbearer’s admission of guilt. וַ/יְדַבֵּר֙ (va/y.da.Ber) denotes the act of speaking that breaks the silence of the court.
The thread — This confession follows the cupbearer’s earlier request to be remembered by Joseph (Genesis 40:14) and contrasts with his prior failure to do so (Genesis 40:23). The narrative also recalls the initial offense that led to their imprisonment (Genesis 40:1).
Why it lands — The text records a delayed admission of guilt after years of silence, demanding recognition that human memory is fallible. It asks the reader to confront the gap between past promises and present action without excusing the delay.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day:
Cross-references
- Genesis 40:14 But when it goes well for you, please remember me and show me kindness by mentioning me to Pharaoh, that he might bring me out of this prison.
- Genesis 40:23 The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot all about him.
- Genesis 40:1 Some time later, the king’s cupbearer and baker offended their master, the king of Egypt.