GENESIS 44

44:1-5

Verse 1 The brothers again try to “return” to Egypt the money they took to sell Joseph into slavery in Egypt, but are helpless to do so. Guilt remains.

Verse 3 “and donkeys” is again tacked on to the end of the sentence.

Verse 5 Twice (v. 15 also) Joseph refers to his cup he uses for divination. Isn’t divination considered wicked in the eyes of the Lord? How would you answer this question?

There are two approaches. The first is to remember that in testing his brothers, Joseph is putting on an elaborate act in front of them by pretending to be an Egyptian who refuses to eat with foreigners, does not understand their language, and indulges in pagan practices such as divination. The latter pretense is in order to make the supposed theft of the silver cup appear to be even more serious a crime. Thus, Joseph probably never used the cup for divination at all.

The second approach is to realize that divination covered a wide variety of practices designed to either (a) get advice, (b) learn the future, or (c) magically manipulate supernatural forces. The last-named purpose for this practice was always condemned by God. However, the use of divination to achieve the other two aims was only condemned if satanic forces were consulted, as in the case of Saul's consulting the witch of Endor.

We must remember that Saul only went to the witch because God had refused to answer his questions through the accepted practice of using the Urim and Thummin for divination. Another form of divination was through dreams and their interpretation, practices that both Joseph and Daniel were adept at, through God's guidance. As a matter of fact, the king calls Daniel the chief of the diviners in Daniel 4:9.

There are two occasions in the Book of Acts where “divination” appears, one positive (Acts 1:26) and one negative (Acts 16:16-19). These serve to point up the differences between acceptable and unacceptable practices. The eleven apostles use the casting of lots to determine who will take Judas' place among the Twelve, but only after they have logically and prayerfully eliminated all but two candidates. This is quite similar to the Old Testament use of the Urim and Thummin. By contrast, Paul rejects the testimony of a slave girl whose owners made money from her gift of fortune-telling since the source of her divination was an evil spirit, not God.

Can we use all means at our disposal to seek God's will including horoscopes, etc.?

44:6-13

Verse 9 These words are very similar to Jacob's words to Laban in Genesis 31:32. Ironically, the curse happens to Rachel, who dies in bearing Benjamin.

The brothers who sold Joseph into slavery now offer themselves as slaves.

Verse 13 I still remember an event from a 6^th grade camp. A bunch of us boys were in one bedroom at night and a few of them kept talking even though the camp counselor had told us to be quiet. At last, a counselor came in and asked us to tell him who had been talking so that he could be punished. When no one spoke, he said that if we wouldn't tell him, then I would be the one punished. I was amazed that the guilty party actually confessed so that I wouldn't have to take his punishment.

44:14-17

Verse 16 has two meanings. The deeper meaning relates to Judah's sense of his guilt. At last the lesson is learned. “Found out” appears eight times in this chapter.

44:18-26

Verse 18 Most of the rest of chapter is a rehash of earlier events but worth reading because Barnhouse calls it “...the most moving speech in all the Word of God. Indeed, this speech has often been called the greatest example of natural oratory in all literature.”

Verse 20 “and his father loves him” was exactly the reason the brothers turned against Joseph in the first place.

Verse 22 The Hebrew is ambiguous as to who would die if they were separated.

44:27-34

Verse 27 Judah now accepts his father's favoritism shown by Jacob acting as if he had only one wife that really counted.

Verse 33 A presaging of the Lion of Judah's offering himself for all.

Verse 34 This is the completion of his transformation.  Judah has by now fully realized the pain he caused his father for these many years.