Genesis 44:5 kjv
Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing.
Genesis 44:5 nkjv
Is not this the one from which my lord drinks, and with which he indeed practices divination? You have done evil in so doing.' "
Genesis 44:5 niv
Isn't this the cup my master drinks from and also uses for divination? This is a wicked thing you have done.'?"
Genesis 44:5 esv
Is it not from this that my lord drinks, and by this that he practices divination? You have done evil in doing this.'"
Genesis 44:5 nlt
Why have you stolen my master's silver cup, which he uses to predict the future? What a wicked thing you have done!'"
Genesis 44 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 19:26 | "You shall not eat anything with the blood; nor shall you practice divination or soothsaying." | Prohibition against divination and pagan practices. |
| Deut 18:10-12 | "There shall not be found among you anyone...who practices divination...For whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD." | Strong divine condemnation of all forms of divination. |
| Num 23:23 | "For there is no enchantment against Jacob, no divination against Israel; now it shall be said of Jacob and Israel, 'What has God wrought!'" | God's people are protected from divination; true revelation comes from God. |
| 1 Sam 15:23 | "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry." | Links forbidden practices like witchcraft (divination) with rebellion against God. |
| 2 Ki 17:17 | "...they used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger." | Describes Israel's unfaithfulness through engaging in divination. |
| Isa 8:19 | "When they say to you, 'Consult the mediums and the spiritists who whisper and mutter,' should not a people consult their God?" | Contrasts consulting forbidden diviners with seeking the true God. |
| Jer 27:9-10 | "Therefore do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers, your soothsayers, or your sorcerers...for they prophesy a lie to you..." | Warns against listening to false prophets and diviners. |
| Eze 21:21 | "For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination." | Illustrates common practice of divination by pagan rulers. |
| Mic 3:7 | "Then the seers will be ashamed and the diviners will be confounded; indeed, they will all cover their lips..." | Prophetic judgment against false seers and diviners. |
| Gen 30:27 | "And Laban said to him, 'Please stay, if I have found favor in your eyes, for I have learned by experience [nachash] that the LORD has blessed me for your sake.'" | Shows alternative use of the Hebrew root נחש, though Gen 44:5 clearly implies forbidden practice. |
| Gen 40:8 | "They said to him, 'We have had a dream and there is no one to interpret it.' Then Joseph said to them, 'Do not interpretations belong to God?'" | Joseph's reliance on God for true interpretation, contrasting with human divination. |
| Gen 41:16 | "Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, 'It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.'" | Joseph humbly attributes his ability to God, not to self-made powers. |
| Gen 41:25 | "Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, 'Pharaoh’s dreams are one; God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do.'" | Joseph clearly states God as the source of true foresight. |
| Gen 42:9 | "Joseph remembered the dreams which he had dreamed about them, and said to them, 'You are spies!'" | Joseph begins his testing, fulfilling his own prophetic dreams. |
| Gen 42:15-20 | Joseph demands Benjamin come down to prove his brothers are honest, part of his elaborate test. | Details of Joseph's careful testing of his brothers. |
| Gen 45:5-8 | "But now do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life." | Joseph reveals his identity and declares God's sovereign purpose behind their actions. |
| Gen 50:20 | "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive." | Joseph's ultimate interpretation of God's sovereignty over human evil. |
| Ps 105:18 | "They hurt his feet with fetters; He was laid in irons." | Joseph's unjust suffering foreshadows false accusation here. |
| Prov 16:33 | "The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD." | Emphasizes God's ultimate control, even over human actions/devices. |
| Rom 8:28 | "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." | God's sovereignty working through challenging situations for His ultimate good purpose. |
| Mt 20:22 | "Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink...?" | Reference to a "cup" often symbolizing suffering or divine will/judgment. |
| Ps 23:5 | "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over." | "Cup" here symbolizing abundance or blessing, a sharp contrast to a cup of divination or wrath. |
| Isa 51:17 | "Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, You who have drunk from the hand of the LORD The cup of His fury..." | The "cup" used as a metaphor for God's judgment or wrath. |
Genesis 44 verses
Genesis 44 5 Meaning
Genesis 44:5 states an accusation leveled by Joseph's steward against his brothers: that they stole the very cup Joseph uses for drinking and, more importantly, for divination. The steward presents this act as a grave offense, declaring, "Ye have done evil in so doing." This accusation is part of an elaborate ruse orchestrated by Joseph to test his brothers and bring them back before him.
Genesis 44 5 Context
Genesis chapter 44 is a pivotal moment in Joseph's ongoing test of his brothers, designed to assess their change of heart since they betrayed him. Joseph had already had them come to Egypt twice, supplied them with grain, accused them of being spies, imprisoned Simeon, and subtly favored Benjamin. His ultimate plan, however, was to force them to prove their integrity and concern for Benjamin, their younger brother, the one who shares Joseph's full brother status through their mother, Rachel.
Immediately prior to this verse, Joseph instructs his steward to fill the brothers' sacks with grain and return their money, but crucially, to place his personal silver cup into Benjamin's sack (Gen 44:1-2). Once they have left the city, Joseph sends the steward after them with the very accusation found in Gen 44:5, claiming the cup has been stolen. This dramatic chase and confrontation sets the stage for the brothers' desperate pleas and Judah's moving intercession. Historically and culturally, divination by cups (hydromancy) was practiced in the ancient Near East, adding a layer of credibility to the steward's claim for Joseph's brothers, even though Joseph, as a servant of the true God, would not practice such forbidden acts. His pretense serves as a potent means to achieve his divine purpose.
Genesis 44 5 Word analysis
- Is not this it in which: This rhetorical question is used by the steward to imply obviousness and elicit an expected affirmative answer, putting the brothers on the defensive from the outset. It highlights the supposed great importance and uniqueness of the object in question.
- my lord: Refers to Joseph. This title elevates Joseph's status and reinforces the steward's loyalty and his grave concern over a perceived theft involving his master. It adds to the brothers' sense of culpability.
- drinketh: Indicates the cup's everyday use as Joseph's personal drinking vessel. This makes its supposed theft all the more intimate and offensive, transforming it from a mere valuable item into something with personal significance to Joseph.
- and whereby indeed he divineth?: The pivotal claim. The Hebrew for "he divineth" is יְנַחֵשׁ (yenahֵsh), from the root נחש (nachash), which means to practice divination, enchantments, or soothsaying. The doubling of the root, "nachash yenachash" ("divine, he divines") in Hebrew, intensifies the meaning, emphasizing the practice of divination. This elevates the cup beyond a mere drinking vessel to a magical artifact, making its theft seem like a serious spiritual affront or an act against a king's perceived supernatural power, greatly compounding the severity of the alleged crime in the eyes of the brothers, who would be familiar with such pagan practices in Egypt. It serves as a deceptive ruse orchestrated by Joseph, who himself truly receives divine revelation directly from God.
- Ye have done evil in so doing: This is a direct, strong accusation of moral culpability and grave misconduct. It unequivocally pronounces their actions as sinful and wrong, demanding a reckoning.
- Words-group analysis:
- "Is not this it...whereby indeed he divineth?": This phrase combines the cup's everyday use with its alleged esoteric function, creating a complete picture of its sacred and important status for Joseph. The steward's presentation emphasizes not only the cup's material value but also its supposed role as an instrument of divine knowledge, making the act of stealing it exceptionally serious in their cultural context.
- "Ye have done evil in so doing": This concise statement of judgment underscores the high stakes of the confrontation. It functions as the direct accusation that precipitates the brothers' desperate self-defense and Benjamin's "discovery" with the cup. It is the dramatic conclusion of the steward's opening argument.
Genesis 44 5 Bonus section
The Hebrew root נחש (nachash), from which יְנַחֵשׁ (yenahֵsh) or "he divineth" comes, is also the word for "serpent." This linguistic connection might subtly evoke images of the serpent's deceit in the Garden of Eden (Gen 3:1), which also involved a form of subtle enticement and the presentation of a deceptive truth. In Genesis 44:5, the "divination" itself is a deception to reveal a deeper truth (the brothers' transformed hearts). This subtle interplay of meaning might hint at the cunning and calculated nature of Joseph's stratagem, used for a holy end. Joseph's wisdom, here presented as 'divination,' mirrors a greater divine insight working through him. It is God's 'wisdom' or plan unfolding, contrasted with forbidden human attempts to gain knowledge.
Genesis 44 5 Commentary
Genesis 44:5 is not merely an accusation of theft; it is a calculated theatrical stroke in Joseph's divinely guided drama to test his brothers. The steward's claim that Joseph's personal silver cup is also used for divination by its owner is central to the deception. This adds immense weight to the alleged crime. While Joseph himself, a true servant of the God of Israel, would never engage in the abhorrent pagan practice of hydromancy (divination by water/cup), the accusation was perfectly crafted to be believable within the Egyptian cultural context.
The brothers, coming from a land where such practices were common, would have readily understood the perceived spiritual affront and danger associated with stealing a diviner's instrument. This perceived sacrilege, coupled with the apparent betrayal of Joseph's generosity, brings them to a state of profound distress and true repentance. This false accusation allows Joseph to corner his brothers, forcing them to confront their past actions (selling Joseph) and demonstrate their change of heart, especially regarding Benjamin. It perfectly illustrates how God can orchestrate events, even through human deception for righteous purposes, to bring about His greater plan of redemption and reconciliation within the family of Israel. The cup, then, is not merely a material object but a potent symbol within a carefully constructed divine lesson on grace, responsibility, and ultimate forgiveness.