When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was favorable: that is, the interpretation of the wine servant’s dream. In many languages saw must be rendered as “heard”; for example, “when the head of the bakers heard the good interpretation….”

There were translates the Hebrew hinneh as in Gen 40.9.

Cake in the expression cake baskets translates a Hebrew word that may refer to a special kind of white bread. Baskets may mean “wicker baskets,” referring to a kind of basket woven from pliable twigs. The baskets were open on top, but only the uppermost basket was open for birds to eat from, as described in the next verse. Good News Translation has “breadbasket.”

The baskets are on the baker’s head, as that is the place an Egyptian would carry them. Note Good News Translation, “I was carrying them.” We are to understand that the three baskets are stacked one above the other.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .