Interesting to note, given how Matthew seeks to mirror the Torah in his gospel whenever possible, the concern with heads...The baker's head and the cup-bearer's head will be "raised up": one back to his initial position of respect, one literally off his shoulders. In Matthew 14, Matthew tells the story of John the Baptist's head being delivered to Herod's daughter on a platter.
Amazing stories of how these rulers could deprive one of life pretty much on a whim.
I reiterate: the Joseph cycle is one of the finest examples of ancient Near Eastern literature that exists. Enjoy it for its literary qualities and then ask: how do we learn to trust, in hard times, that God still is watching over us and able to bring good from those difficult circumstances?
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