And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them: and they continued a season in ward.
The charge described is that Pharaoh's chief butler and chief baker, having offended Pharaoh, were confined in the prison where Joseph was bound, and the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them while they continued a season in ward. Joseph was there unjustly, fallen from honor and trust to apparent degradation within prison walls because of steadfastness to principle in refusing to commit great wickedness and sin against God when tempted. His imprisonment humbled him but did not degrade him.
Instead of spending his time mourning the injustice that deprived him of liberty, dwelling on his own wrongs, or becoming morose, he kept patience and hope and faith. He forgot his own troubles and made his life useful by serving his fellow prisoners faithfully, bringing them food and ministering to their wants and entering into their troubles with kindly sympathy as a servant of servants. He did not close his heart against suffering humanity. His exemplary conduct, humble deportment, and faithfulness, continuing to live in the fear of God and carrying his religion with him wherever he went, obtained for him the confidence of all in the prison and those connected with it.
His course proves that integrity, innocence, and virtue can never be degraded, and that God's will ruled him in adversity as it had in prosperity. God was fitting him in the school of affliction for greater usefulness and teaching him to govern himself. While they were in custody he noticed their sadness, asked what troubled them, declared that interpretations belong to God, and explained their dreams foretelling the butler's restoration and the baker's execution, and both outcomes occurred as he had said.
The charge described is that Pharaoh's chief butler and chief baker, having offended Pharaoh, were confined in the prison where Joseph was bound, and the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them while they continued a season in ward. Joseph was there unjustly, fallen from honor and trust to apparent degradation within prison walls because of steadfastness to principle in refusing to commit great wickedness and sin against God when tempted. His imprisonment humbled him but did not degrade him.
Instead of spending his time mourning the injustice that deprived him of liberty, dwelling on his own wrongs, or becoming morose, he kept patience and hope and faith. He forgot his own troubles and made his life useful by serving his fellow prisoners faithfully, bringing them food and ministering to their wants and entering into their troubles with kindly sympathy as a servant of servants. He did not close his heart against suffering humanity. His exemplary conduct, humble deportment, and faithfulness, continuing to live in the fear of God and carrying his religion with him wherever he went, obtained for him the confidence of all in the prison and those connected with it.
His course proves that integrity, innocence, and virtue can never be degraded, and that God's will ruled him in adversity as it had in prosperity. God was fitting him in the school of affliction for greater usefulness and teaching him to govern himself. While they were in custody he noticed their sadness, asked what troubled them, declared that interpretations belong to God, and explained their dreams foretelling the butler's restoration and the baker's execution, and both outcomes occurred as he had said.