Genesis - 44:15



15 Joseph said to them, "What deed is this that you have done? Don't you know that such a man as I can indeed divine?"

Verse In-Depth

Explanation and meaning of Genesis 44:15.

Differing Translations

Compare verses for better understanding.
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?
And he said to them: Why would you do so? know you not that there is no one like me in the science of divining.
And Joseph said to them, What deed is this which ye have done? Did ye not know that such a man as I can certainly divine?
And Joseph said to them, What deed is this that ye have done? knew ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine?
and Joseph saith to them, 'What is this deed that ye have done? have ye not known that a man like me doth diligently observe?'
And Joseph said, What is this thing which you have done? had you no thought that such a man as I would have power to see what is secret?
And he said to them: "Why would you choose to act in this way? Could you be ignorant that there is no one like me in the knowledge of discerning signs?"
Et dixit ad eos Joseph, Quod facinus est hoc quod fecistis? Nonne notis quod augurando auguratur vir, qui est sicut ego?

*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.


Historical Commentaries

Scholarly Analysis and Interpretation.

And Joseph said unto them, what deed is this ye have done?.... 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.

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