Genesis 44:15

15 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?

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 Then in bitter grief they put the bags on the asses again and went back to the town.
14 So Judah and his brothers came to Joseph's house; and he was still there: and they went down on their faces before him.
15 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?
16 And Judah said, What are we to say to my lord? how may we put ourselves right in his eyes? God has made clear the sin of your servants: now we are in your hands, we and the man in whose bag your cup was seen.
17 Then he said, Far be it from me to do so: but the man who had my cup will be my servant; and you may go back to your father in peace.
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