- divineth:
- or, maketh trial, "And Josephª saidª° unto them, What¹ deedª [is] this¹ that¹ ye have done?ª° wot¹ ye²° not¹ that¹ such a manª as I¹ can certainly²° divine?ª°" {Gen 44:15} *marg. "And Labanª saidª° unto¹ him, I pray thee,¹ if¹ I have foundª° favourª in thine eyes,ª [tarry: for] I have learned by experienceª° that the LORDª hath blessedª° me for thy sake.ª" {Gen 30:27} + "Ye shall not¹ eatª° [any thing] with¹ the blood:ª neither¹ shall ye use enchantment,ª° nor¹ observe times.ª°" {Lev 19:26} + "Now the men²¹ did diligently observeª° whether [any thing would come] from¹ him, and did hastilyª° catchª° [it]: and they said,ª° Thy brotherª Benhadad.ª Then he said,ª° Goª° ye, bringª° him. Then Benhadadª came forthª° to¹ him; and he caused him to come upª° into¹ the chariot.ª" {1Kg 20:33} + "And he made¹ his sonª pass²° through¹ the fire,ª and observed times,ª° and used enchantments,ª° and dealtª° with familiar spiritsª and wizards:ª he wroughtª° muchª° wickednessª in the sightª of the LORD,ª to provoke [him] to anger.ª°" {2Kg 21:6}; In the East, there is an ancient tradition, that there was a Cup which possessed the strange property of representing in it the whole world, and all the things which were then doing. The cup is called Jami Jemsheed, "the cup of Jemsheed," a very ancient king of Persia; and they say that it was discovered, filled with the elixir of immortality, when digging to lay the foundations of Persepolis. The Persian poets are full of allusions to this cup, which they style Jem jehan nima, the cup shewing the universe; and to it they ascribe all the prosperity of their ancient monarchs. Many of the Mahometan princes and governors affect still to have information by means of a cup. Now, though it cannot be admitted that Joseph practised divination, yet, according to the superstition of those times, supernatural influence might be attributed to HIS CUP.
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