Genesis 44:15 kjv

And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine?

Genesis 44:15 nkjv

And Joseph said to them, "What deed is this you have done? Did you not know that such a man as I can certainly practice divination?"

Genesis 44:15 niv

Joseph said to them, "What is this you have done? Don't you know that a man like me can find things out by divination?"

Genesis 44:15 esv

Joseph said to them, "What deed is this that you have done? Do you not know that a man like me can indeed practice divination?"

Genesis 44:15 nlt

"What have you done?" Joseph demanded. "Don't you know that a man like me can predict the future?"

Genesis 44 verses

Genesis 44 15 Meaning

In Genesis 44:15, Joseph confronts his brothers after the discovery of his silver cup in Benjamin's sack. He poses rhetorical questions designed to intensify their guilt and fear. He questions their deceptive deed, then asserts his inherent ability, or God-given discernment, to uncover such hidden acts. This statement is a critical part of his extended test, designed to ascertain if his brothers have genuinely changed and developed integrity, unlike their past actions of deception and cruelty toward him.

Genesis 44 15 Context

Genesis chapter 44 is the dramatic climax of Joseph's testing of his brothers, specifically designed to reveal their transformed character. Following the initial reunion and first visit to Egypt (chapter 42), the brothers return for more food (chapter 43), now compelled to bring Benjamin. Joseph orchestrates a feast, treating Benjamin with special favor. As they depart for Canaan, Joseph's steward places Joseph's personal silver cup in Benjamin's sack. Joseph then sends his steward to pursue them, accusing them of theft. When the cup is found, the brothers, devastated and horrified, return to Joseph. The scene for this verse is Joseph's immediate and sharp confrontation with them, where he strategically uses the language of divination (implied in Gen 44:5 regarding the cup) to make them believe he possesses supernatural powers of detection, or at least a highly acute discerning ability. This accusation is not merely about a stolen cup but is the final phase of exposing their guilt and observing their response, especially concerning Benjamin, whom they previously refused to protect.

Genesis 44 15 Word analysis

• And Joseph said: וַיֹּאמֶר יוֹסֵף (Vayó'mer Yōsēf). Indicates the initiation of a direct confrontation. Joseph, still in disguise as the Egyptian vizier, maintains his powerful and mysterious persona.
• to them,: אֲלֵהֶם (ʾălêhem). Direct address to the brothers collectively.
• What is this deed: מָה הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה (Māh haddābār hazzeh). דָּבָר (dabār) here means "matter" or "thing," referring to the act of theft. It implies shock and severe disapproval, aiming to elicit a response.
• that you have done?: אֲשֶׁר עֲשִׂיתֶם (ʾasher ʿăṣîtem). Directly implicates them in the supposed crime.
• Do you not know: הֲלוֹא יְדַעְתֶּם (Hălô' yəḏaʿtem). יְדַעְתֶּם (yāḍaʿ) means "to know" or "to understand." This is a rhetorical question designed to put them on the defensive, implying that their actions were foolish or disrespectful given his apparent authority and insight.
• that such a man as I: כִּי נַחֵשׁ יְנַחֵשׁ אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר כָּמֹנִי (Kī nāchēsh yənāchēsh ʾîsh ʾăsher kāmōnī).
  • אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר כָּמֹנִי (ʾîsh ʾăsher kāmōnī): "A man like me," or "a man who is me." Joseph emphasizes his high rank and perceived wisdom as an Egyptian leader.
• can certainly find out?: נַחֵשׁ יְנַחֵשׁ (nāchēsh yənāchēsh). This is the key phrase. The verb נחשׁ (nâchash) is repeated for emphasis (intensive infinitive absolute). Its primary meaning is "to practice divination, to observe omens, to conjure, to foretell."
  • While usually condemning pagan practices (Deut 18:10-12), Joseph uses it here to portray himself as possessing an uncanny ability to uncover hidden things. Given Joseph's history of attributing his wisdom to God (Gen 41:16), he is not actually engaging in pagan divination. Instead, he is either:
    1. Using Egyptian vernacular for detection, suggesting an almost supernatural capacity.
    2. Implying that his status and inherent insight (God-given, unbeknownst to them) would lead him to discover the truth.
    3. Linking back to the earlier mention of his cup (Gen 44:5) being used for divination, intensifying the fear and illusion that he can truly find out.
  • This phrase deeply unsettles the brothers, aligning with their cultural understanding of powerful individuals who could divine secrets, and intensifying the psychological pressure of the test.

Words-group Analysis:

• "What is this deed that you have done?": This opening line is a direct challenge to their moral character. It implies not just a crime, but a grave violation against his household and his trust, given their privileged treatment.
• "Do you not know that such a man as I can certainly find out?": This is a potent rhetorical question. It highlights Joseph's perceived omnipotence and acute discernment in his role as vizier. The language of "divination" (Hebrew nâchash) here is designed to exploit the brothers' awe and fear of Egyptian power and occult practices. It serves Joseph's larger purpose: to impress upon them the impossibility of hiding their true nature or past sins, pushing them towards genuine repentance and demonstration of love for Benjamin, and thus, for each other.

Genesis 44 15 Bonus section

The choice of the verb nâchash in Genesis 44:15 is highly significant. While it means "to practice divination" or "to find out by experience/observation," Joseph never genuinely uses divination, which is forbidden in Yahwistic worship (Deut 18:10-12). Instead, it reflects his immersive role-playing as an Egyptian dignitary who, to his brothers' perception, possesses mystical abilities, or simply a shrewdness bordering on the supernatural. This use of a word often associated with paganism is a deliberate tactical move by Joseph. It creates an atmosphere of fear and awe, pressing the brothers to a point of spiritual reckoning. The "stolen cup" and the implied divination link Joseph's position of authority with a knowledge that transcends the ordinary, mimicking Pharaoh's court where dreams were interpreted and future events revealed. Joseph's brothers, accustomed to Joseph's miraculous dream interpretations (Gen 37), now face what seems to be a divinely or magically gifted Egyptian ruler, bringing their hidden actions into sharp focus and demonstrating God's providence even through unconventional, testing methods.

Genesis 44 15 Commentary

Genesis 44:15 encapsulates Joseph's strategic brilliance and his profound commitment to God's redemptive plan for his family. Having meticulously orchestrated events, from seating his brothers by birth order to placing the cup, Joseph now confronts them, his words laden with both accusation and the unspoken weight of their shared past. His question, "What is this deed that you have done?" is a deliberate echo of past betrayals, challenging their perceived integrity. The crucial statement, "Do you not know that such a man as I can certainly find out?", uses language that, while hinting at divination, is primarily intended to instill a deep sense of a justice from which there is no escape. Joseph, a man profoundly aware that his wisdom and insights come directly from God (Gen 41:16), is leveraging the Egyptian cultural understanding of such 'knowing' powers to manipulate the brothers' consciences. He desires to see if they, faced with apparent supernatural detection, will revert to their old ways of self-preservation at another's expense, or if their earlier trials have forged genuine repentance and selfless love, especially for Benjamin. This dramatic moment tests the depths of their change, forcing them to confront not just the stolen cup, but the decades of hidden guilt that lay beneath their lives. It emphasizes a key biblical truth: secrets are rarely safe, and ultimately, nothing is hidden from God’s discerning eye (Heb 4:13).