Genesis 40:18,19

‘And Joseph answered and said, “This is its interpretation. The three baskets are three days. Within yet three days will Pharaoh lift off your head from you and will hang you on a tree, and the birds will eat your flesh from off you.” '

Will Pharaoh lift off your head.' There is a play on words here contrasting this lifting off of the head with the lifting up of the head of the cupbearer. ‘And will hang you on a tree and the birds will eat your flesh.' The death described is probably an indication that the baker is to be seen as guilty of a heinous crime (compare Deuteronomy 21:22 for a similar death).

In interpreting the dreams Joseph was probably well aware that in three days time it was Pharaoh's birthday. Thus with God's guidance he recognised the significance of the threes. The remainder of the dreams he was able to work out fairly easily, and the writer certainly intends us to recognise that again he enjoyed the guidance of God (verse 8). The answers may seem obvious once explained but it is not something on which Joseph could afford to be wrong.