Bible Strands
Genesis 44:15
“What is this deed you have done?” Joseph declared. “Do you not know that a man like me can surely divine the truth?”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Joseph confronts his brothers at his residence immediately after they arrive and fall prostrate before him. He addresses them directly regarding the stolen cup discovered in Benjamin’s possession.
The words — The Hebrew מָה־הַמַּעֲשֶׂה הַזֶּה (mah-hamma‘aseh hazeh) literally renders “What [is] the deed this?” while the negative interrogative הֲלֹא (halô) introduces Joseph’s assertion that he can discern hidden matters.
The thread — The identical question structure appears in Genesis 3:13 when God confronts the woman about her action, and stands in contrast to Genesis 21:26 where Abimelech claims no knowledge of a deed. The immediate narrative context is anchored in Genesis 44:4, which records the steward’s pursuit to recover the cup.
Why it lands — The text requires the reader to note that Joseph claims independent insight into hidden truth, which directly precedes Judah’s declaration that God alone exposes iniquity. It asks the reader to observe how human claims to divine knowledge are immediately met with the reality of God’s sovereign judgment.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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?
Cross-references
- Genesis 44:4 They had not gone far from the city when Joseph told his steward, “Pursue the men at once, and when you overtake them, ask, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil?
- Genesis 3:13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” “The serpent deceived me,” she replied, “and I ate.”
- Genesis 21:26 Abimelech replied, “I do not know who has done this. You did not tell me, so I have not heard about it until today.”
- Genesis 39:8 But he refused. “Look,” he said to his master’s wife, “with me here, my master does not concern himself with anything in his house, and he has entrusted everything he owns to my care.
- Genesis 4:10 “What have you done?” replied the LORD. “The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.
- Exodus 32:1 Now when the people saw that Moses was delayed in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him!”