Contemplative Bible Reading

Genesis 44:5 (New Living Translation)

Why have you stolen my master’s silver cup, which he uses to predict the future? What a wicked thing you have done!’”

In this verse, the speaker is talking to Joseph’s brothers. The “master” in this verse is Joseph. The speaker believes that Joseph uses this silver cup to predict the future.

This future-predicting ability is further emphasized later in the chapter:

¹⁴ Joseph was still in his palace when Judah and his brothers arrived, and they fell to the ground before him. ¹⁵ “What have you done?” Joseph demanded. “Don’t you know that a man like me can predict the future?”

With the help of the LORD, Joseph did predict the future. He predicted the years of plenty and the years of drought. The Egyptians were convinced Joseph could predict the future.

Where did they Egyptians come to the belief that it was the silver cup that provided Joseph with this ability?