This episode begins by calling attention to the opening of a special event that will eventually lead to Joseph’s freedom and rise to power in Egypt. Revised Standard Version has reordered the elements of this verse to make it clearer. It has, however, retained the repetition that Good News Translation has removed. Translators may find it clearer to follow Good News Translation as a model. We may also suggest, for example, “One night while they were in prison, the king’s wine servant and baker had dreams. Each dream had a different meaning.” In some languages it may be necessary to say, for example, “The meaning of the wine servant’s dream was different from that of the baker.”

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 .