The whole multi-chapter account in the Torah of Joseph, the son of Jacob is a fascinating one. In its simplistic form, Joseph’s story would be described as a rags-to-riches story, filled with drama and romance. From a historical perspective Joseph’s impact on the world is unparalleled and only exceeded by Yeshua when He walked upon this earth. From a spiritual perspective, Joseph’s account is fitting to us today since we see how Joseph is likened to Yeshua as Messiah.
Throughout the account of Joseph, we are reminded of his relationship with the God of his fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Joseph was given dreams to guide him through the events and situations he experienced. In many of these scenario’s we clearly see the parallel to Yeshua. There is much detail given within certain portions of his life and yet there are portions that provide very little information seemingly under the premise that the reader knows the background already.
There is one portion that stands out in this regard. For centuries, it has been a puzzle to all those who study the scriptures; why did Joseph have a cup of divination?
In Genesis 44 is the account of Jacob’s sons returning home from Egypt with their bags full of grain and the discovery of the ‘divination cup’ in Benjamin’s bag. Earlier in the chapter, Joseph had commanded that his silver cup by placed in Benjamin’s bag. In verse 5, the servants of Joseph are dispatched to find the brothers and accuse them of stealing this cup. This is the first time it is referred to as a cup used for divination. Then in verse 15, Joseph himself says, “What is this deed that you have done? Do you not know that such a man as I can indeed practice divination?”
How can a man of God be a man of God while practicing divination? This does not make sense, since we are told by God through Moses in Leviticus 19:26 “You shall not eat anything with the blood, nor practice divination or soothsaying.” So, it appears that Joseph was doing something that God forbade any of His people to do…
Or was he?
We need to back up the account of Joseph a little bit and look at a few verses that detail Joseph’s encounter with his brothers when they arrived in Egypt to get grain for the first time. In Genesis 42, ten of Jacob’s sons travel to Egypt to buy grain. All foreigners had to petition for the right to buy grain by coming before the Viceroy of Egypt, who was Joseph. Read the verses that detail the encounter of these ten brothers with Joseph. He disguised himself so they would not recognize him, while he knew perfectly well who they were.
Joseph was asking some very personal questions of the brothers under the pretext that they are spies. This made the brothers uneasy. There is a hint that these questions were not part of the normal procedure Joseph had been using with any of the other foreigners. That hint becomes clearer as we continue the account in chapter 43.
In Genesis 43, it was time to travel back to Egypt to buy more grain and the sons reminded Jacob that Benjamin would need to travel with them in order for the Viceroy of Egypt to believe they were not spies. As the brothers discuss this sensitive issue with Jacob, he suddenly realizes that something is amiss. He asks his sons a very poignant question that will open up this whole understanding about whether Joseph practiced divination. Verse 6 says, “Then Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly by telling the man whether you still had another brothers?”
In verse7 we are given their answer which will help lock this mystery, “But they said, “The man questions particularly about us and our relatives, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?’ So we answered his questions. Could we possibly know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?”
Here in verse 7, the brothers reveal to their father that they are mystified how Joseph knew to ask such specific questions of them. If Jacob hadn’t asked the question, we would not have understood how mystified the brothers were about this whole event.
Enter the divination cup. Joseph knew that his approach towards his brothers was mystifying to them and that is how he wanted it to be. We know that he was testing his brothers to find out if they were repentant and were living lives that upheld the family and Jacob.
To add more intrigue to his interaction with his brothers, he purposely told his servants to place one of his cups into the sack of his brother Benjamin. Take note of something; Joseph had to describe to the servant which cup – the silver one (Genesis 44:2), thus indicating that Joseph used other cups and that this one was no more unique and special than any of his other cups. Clearly, Joseph picked this one because it fit his purpose the best. What was that purpose? He needed a cup that looked the part of being a divination cup.
Once the brothers were loaded and sent on their way at first light, Joseph waited a short time and then commanded his servant to go after them and say to them “Why have you repaid evil for good?” (verse 4). The servant continues in verse 5 saying, “Is not this the one from which my lord drinks and which he indeed used for divination? You have done wrong in doing this.”
The servant is following Joseph’s orders on what to say to the brothers. Joseph set up this whole event knowing full well that his brothers did not know who he was and were mystified about his insightfulness of them. He needed to add fear to their ordeal by revealing that it was through “divination” that he knew so much about them. This way the brothers would be truthful and honest in their answers to him and Joseph would then know the level of maturity within his brothers.
Joseph himself even emphasized this ability to his brothers when they were brought back to him, in verse 15, “Joseph said to them, “What is this deed that you have done? Do you not know that such a man as I can indeed practice divination?””
At that point, Judah pleads with the man he only knows as the Viceroy of Egypt, begging him to not take Benjamin as his slave. Judah speaks with moving eloquence about how this will affect their father Jacob when he learns of this. To not allow that to happen, he offers himself in place of Benjamin.
At this point, Joseph could not hold back any longer. By creating the story about the divination cup, Joseph was able to get the answers he needed and he finally revealed himself to his brothers. Now the brothers understood why this man who is the Viceroy of Egypt could ask such specific questions of them, he was their long-lost brother.
Joseph was not a diviner at all but merely played the part to bring about the results that are recorded in the Torah. Thus he remains a man of God and is still fitting as the likeness of Yeshua as Messiah.
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Let this mind be in you that is in Messiah, Yeshua.
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