۞ Verily in the story of Joseph and his brothers there are many signs for those who inquire (about the truth). 7 When they said: "Truly, Yusuf (Joseph) and his brother (Benjamin) are loved more by our father than we, but we are 'Usbah (a strong group). Really, our father is in a plain error. 8 Kill Joseph or cast him out to [another] land; the countenance of your father will [then] be only for you, and you will be after that a righteous people." 9 Thereupon one of them said: "Do not kill Joseph, but if you are bent upon doing something, cast him down to the bottom of some dark pit, perhaps some caravan passing by will take him out of it." 10 They said: O our father! what reason have you that you do not trust in us with respect to Yusuf? And most surely we are his sincere well-wishers: 11 Let him go out with us tomorrow, that he may enjoy himself and play: and verily, we shall guard him well!" 12 He [Ya'qub (Jacob)] said: "Truly, it saddens me that you should take him away. I fear lest a wolf should devour him, while you are careless of him." 13 They replied: "If a wolf should devour him when we are there, a well-knit band, we shall certainly be treacherous." 14 So when they took him away – and all of them agreed that they should drop him in the dark well; and We sent the divine revelation to him, “You will surely tell them of their deed at a time when they will not know.” 15 And they came to their father in the early part of the night weeping. 16 They said, "O our father, indeed we went racing each other and left Joseph with our possessions, and a wolf ate him. But you would not believe us, even if we were truthful." 17 And they brought upon his shirt false blood. [Jacob] said, "Rather, your souls have enticed you to something, so patience is most fitting. And Allah is the one sought for help against that which you describe." 18 Then there came a caravan of travellers: they sent their water-carrier (for water), and he let down his bucket (into the well)... He said: "Ah there! Good news! Here is a (fine) young man!" So they concealed him as a treasure! But Allah knoweth well all that they do! 19 In selling him they asked for a very small price and even then no one wanted to buy him. 20