New King James Version
Genesis 44:5
5Is 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 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing.
- New International Version (NIV)Isn’t this the cup my master drinks from and also uses for divination? This is a wicked thing you have done.’ ”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Is it not from this that my lord drinks, and by this that he practices divination? You have done evil in doing this.'"
- New Living Translation (NLT)Why have you stolen my master’s silver cup, which he uses to predict the future? What a wicked thing you have done!’”
Context of Genesis 44:5
3As soon as the morning dawned, the men were sent away, they and their donkeys. 4When they had gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, “Get up, follow the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid evil for good? Is not this the one from which my lord drinks, and with which he indeed practices divination? You have done evil in so doing.’ ” 6So he overtook them, and he spoke to them these same words. 7And they said to him, “Why does my lord say these words? Far be it from us that your servants should do such a thing.
Read all of Genesis 44Genesis 44:5 word by word
הֲל֣וֹא זֶ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִשְׁתֶּ֤ה אֲדֹנִי֙ בּ֔וֹ וְה֕וּא נַחֵ֥שׁ יְנַחֵ֖שׁ בּ֑וֹ הֲרֵעֹתֶ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר עֲשִׂיתֶֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Genesis 44:5
- Genesis 44:15And 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 30:27And Laban said to him, “Please stay, if I have found favor in your eyes, for I have learned by experience that the Lord has blessed me for your sake.”
- Leviticus 19:26‘You shall not eat anything with the blood, nor shall you practice divination or soothsaying.
- 1 Kings 20:33Now the men were watching closely to see whether any sign of mercy would come from him; and they quickly grasped at this word and said, “Your brother Ben-Hadad.” So he said, “Go, bring him.” Then Ben-Hadad came out to him; and he had him come up into the chariot.
- 2 Kings 21:6Also he made his son pass through the fire, practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft, and consulted spiritists and mediums. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger.
Commentaries on Genesis 44:5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Whereby - he divineth? - Divination by cups has been from time immemorial prevalent among the Asiatics; and for want of knowing this, commentators have spent a profusion of learned labor upon these words, in order to reduce them to that kind of meaning which would at once be consistent with the scope and design of the history, and save Joseph from the impeachment of sorcery and divination. I take the word נחש nachash here in its general acceptation of to…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-34Verses 1-34 - The Ten Brothers Were Tested Joseph has had the satisfaction of seeing his brother Benjamin safe and well. He has heard his brothers acknowledging their guilt concerning himself. He resolves to put their attachment to Benjamin, and the genuineness of their change of disposition, to a test that will at the same time expose Benjamin to no hazard. Genesis 44:1-5 And my cup. - Besides returning each man‘s money as before, a silver cup of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5This description would help the brothers see that the ruler knew things that other people could not know. Hydromancy (trying to learn hidden things by pouring water into oil) and oenomancy (trying to learn hidden things by pouring wine into other liquids) were forms of divination (seeking knowledge through supernatural means) used in the ancient Near East. A special cup was often used for these practices. Joseph was still pretending (see 42:7; compare…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. Is not this it in which my lord drinketh--not only kept for the governor's personal use, but whereby he divines. Divination by cups, to ascertain the course of futurity, was one of the prevalent superstitions of ancient Egypt, as it is of Eastern countries still. It is not likely that Joseph, a pious believer in the true God, would have addicted himself to this superstitious practice. But he might have availed himself of that popular notion to carry…Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 44:5
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 44
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries