Joseph presents a compelling legal and moral defense to the Chief Cupbearer, outlining why there is no legitimate barrier to his release. He explains that he is a free man who has suffered a double injustice: first in his homeland, and then in Egypt. He clarifies that he is neither a legal slave who sold himself nor a prisoner of war, but rather a free man who was violently kidnapped [ספורנו, העמק דבר, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The nature of this kidnapping implies a twofold crime: the physical theft of his body and the deception of his Egyptian buyers, who mistakenly believed they were purchasing a legitimate slave [אור החיים]. Alternatively, the concept of being stolen hints at concealment. Just as the wine in the cupbearer's dream was hidden within the grapes before being squeezed, Joseph's true identity and profound righteousness have been entirely hidden from the world [הכתב והקבלה].
From a moral standpoint, Joseph carefully avoids stating that he was sold. Out of deep piety, he attributes his tragic descent to the Midianites who pulled him from the pit, deliberately choosing not to slander his brothers [ביאור יש"ר]. Others view this kidnapping as a measure-for-measure punishment from God. It was either a consequence of Joseph’s own pride when he "stole the hearts" of his father and brothers, or a result of Jacob stealing the heart of Laban [שפתי כהן].
Despite his circumstances, Joseph speaks with pride about his origins in the land of the Hebrews. The primary approach among commentators is that this does not refer to the entirety of Canaan, but specifically to the region of Hebron where the Patriarchs resided. This family was so deeply respected and renowned among the nations that the surrounding area became known by their name [רמב״ן, רד״ק, שד״ל, רש״ר הירש]. The descendants of Abraham purposefully maintained the title of Hebrews—either tracing back to their ancestor Eber or referring to Abraham’s origins across the river—to preserve their unique identity and prevent assimilation into the local Canaanite culture [רמב״ן, ביאור יש"ר]. Because Joseph did not hide his roots and proudly declared his Hebrew identity to the Egyptians, he ultimately earned the right to be buried in the Land of Israel [חזקוני, צאינה וראינה].
Having established that he is not a slave, Joseph then proves he is not a criminal, pointing to his current imprisonment as the ultimate proof of his innocence. If he were truly guilty of attempting to harm his master's wife, standard law would have dictated his execution. The fact that he received the relatively light punishment of being held in a facility for political prisoners shows that his masters knew he was innocent. They simply locked him away to cover up the lies of his master's wife [מלבי״ם, אלשיך, אור החיים]. A completely different perspective suggests that his placement in the dungeon was actually an appointment to a position of authority. Under this view, Joseph argues that his role as the manager of the other prisoners serves as undeniable proof that he is not a criminal, but an honest and deeply trustworthy individual [הכתב והקבלה].