۞ Verily in Joseph and his brethren are signs (of Allah's Sovereignty) for the inquiring. 7 When they said: Certainly Yusuf and his brother are dearer to our father than we, though we are a (stronger) company; most surely our father is in manifest error: 8 (One said): Kill Joseph or cast him to some (other) land, so that your father's favour may be all for you, and (that) ye may afterward be righteous folk. 9 Said one of them: "Slay not Joseph, but if ye must do something, throw him down to the bottom of the well: he will be picked up by some caravan of travellers." 10 They said, “O our father! What is the matter with you that you do not trust us with Yusuf, although we are in fact his well-wishers?” 11 Send him with us tomorrow to play with us and enjoy himself. We shall carefully protect him". 12 He said, “I will indeed be saddened by your taking him away, and I fear that the wolf may devour him, whilst you are unaware of him.” (* Prophet Yaqub knew of what was about to happen.) 13 They said: "If a wolf devours him, while we are 'Usbah (a strong group) (to guard him), then surely, we are the losers." 14 So when they went with him, and agreed to put him in the bottom of the well, and We revealed to him, 'Thou shalt tell them of this their doing when they are unaware.' 15 At nightfall, they returned weeping to their father. 16 They said: our father! we went off competing, and left Yusuf by our stuff, so a wolf devoured him; and thou wilt put no credence in us, even though we are the truth-tellers. 17 And they brought his shirt stained with faked blood; he said, “On the contrary – your hearts have fabricated an excuse for you; therefore patience is better; and from Allah only I seek help against the matters that you relate.” 18 AND THERE CAME a caravan; and they sent forth their drawer of water, and he let down his bucket into the well - [and when he saw Joseph] he exclaimed: "Oh, what a lucky find, this boy!" And they hid him with a view to selling him: but God had full knowledge of all that they were doing. 19 And the brothers sold him for an improper price, a limited number of coins; and they had no interest in him. 20