Joseph (Yusuf)
Verses 80-82 GROUP_470 12.80-82
80
فَلَمَّا اسْتَيْأَسُواْ مِنْهُ خَلَصُواْ نَجِيًّا قَالَ كَبِيرُهُمْ أَلَمْ تَعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ أَبَاكُمْ قَدْ أَخَذَ عَلَيْكُم مَّوْثِقًا مِّنَ اللّهِ وَمِن قَبْلُ مَا فَرَّطتُمْ فِي يُوسُفَ فَلَنْ أَبْرَحَ الأَرْضَ حَتَّىَ يَأْذَنَ لِي أَبِي أَوْ يَحْكُمَ اللّهُ لِي وَهُوَ خَيْرُ الْحَاكِمِينَ
When they had lost all hope of [persuading] him, they withdrew, conferring among themselves. The eldest said, ‘Do you not know that your father took from you a pledge in God’s name. You have already failed with regard to Joseph, so I shall never leave the land until my father permits me to, or God decides [things] for me. He is the best judge!
81
ارْجِعُواْ إِلَى أَبِيكُمْ فَقُولُواْ يَا أَبَانَا إِنَّ ابْنَكَ سَرَقَ وَمَا شَهِدْنَا إِلاَّ بِمَا عَلِمْنَا وَمَا كُنَّا لِلْغَيْبِ حَافِظِينَ
Return to your father and say, “Father, your son has committed a theft. We testify only to what we know. How could we guard against the unforeseen?
82
وَاسْأَلِ الْقَرْيَةَ الَّتِي كُنَّا فِيهَا وَالْعِيْرَ الَّتِي أَقْبَلْنَا فِيهَا وَإِنَّا لَصَادِقُونَ
Inquire of [the people of] the city where we lodged, and of the caravan with which we travelled. We are telling you the truth.”’
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Commentary
(a) Among Joseph’s stepbrothers there was perhaps one brother who was different from the others. He was the same brother who had advised in the initial stage that Joseph should not be killed but pushed into a dry well, so that any caravan passing by could take him with it. That brother faced the same situation in Egypt and he separated himself from the others. His sense of honour prevented him from facing his father before whom he had already been proven guilty of losing a brother. He did not want him to think him guilty of losing yet another brother.