Genesis 44:15

15 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 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
15 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?
English Standard Version (ESV)
15 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?"
New Living Translation (NLT)
15 “What have you done?” Joseph demanded. “Don’t you know that a man like me can predict the future?”
The Message Bible (MSG)
15 Joseph accused them: "How can you have done this? You have to know that a man in my position would have discovered this."
American Standard Version (ASV)
15 And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? know ye not that such a man as I can indeed divine?
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
15 Joseph asked them, "What have you done? Don't you know that a man like me can find things out because he knows the future?"
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
15 "What is this you have done?" Joseph said to them. "Didn't you know that a man like me could uncover the truth by divination?"
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
15 Joseph said to them, "What have you done? Don't you know that a man like me has ways to figure things out?"

Genesis 44:15 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 44:15

And Joseph said unto them, what deed is this ye have done?
&c.] An action so wicked, base, and ungrateful, attended with such aggravated circumstances, that it can scarcely be said how bad a one it is, and may be well wondered at, that men who had received such favours could ever be guilty of; this he said, putting on a stern countenance, and seemingly in great anger and wrath: wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine?
either that he could divine himself, though not by the cup, of which here no mention is made, but in some other way used by the Egyptians; or that he had diviners with him, as Aben Ezra, with whom he could consult, to find out the person that took the cup; or surely they must needs think that such a man as he, who had such great knowledge of things, natural and political, and whose name was Zaphnathpaaneah, a revealer of secrets, would be able to search into and find out an affair of this kind; (See Gill on Genesis 41:45); and they might well conclude, that a man so sagacious and penetrating would easily conjecture who were the persons that took away his cup, even the strangers that had dined with him so lately, and therefore could never expect to go off with it.

Genesis 44:15 In-Context

13 At this, they tore their clothes. Then they all loaded their donkeys and returned to the city.
14 Joseph was still in the house when Judah and his brothers came in, and they threw themselves to the ground before him.
15 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?”
16 “What can we say to my lord?” Judah replied. “What can we say? How can we prove our innocence? God has uncovered your servants’ guilt. We are now my lord’s slaves—we ourselves and the one who was found to have the cup.”
17 But Joseph said, “Far be it from me to do such a thing! Only the man who was found to have the cup will become my slave. The rest of you, go back to your father in peace.”

Cross References 2

  • 1. S Genesis 12:18
  • 2. ver 5; S Genesis 30:27
Scripture quoted by permission.  Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.  NIV®.  Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica.  All rights reserved worldwide.