۞ Surely, in Joseph and his brothers there are signs for the inquirers. 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 Slay Yusuf or cast him forth to some land; your father's countenance will be free for you, and ye shall be thereafter a people favoured. 9 One of them said, "Do not kill Joseph, but if you must, throw him into a dark well so that perhaps some caravan will take him away." 10 They said: O our father! Why wilt thou not trust us with Joseph, when lo! we are good friends to him? 11 Let him go out with us tomorrow, that he may enjoy himself and play: and verily, we shall guard him well!" 12 [Jacob] answered: "Behold, it grieves me indeed [to think] that you might take him with you, for I dread lest the wolf devour him at a moment when you are heedless of him!" 13 They said: Surely if the wolf should devour him notwithstanding that we are a (strong) company, we should then certainly be losers. 14 So they did take him away, and they all agreed to throw him down to the bottom of the well: and We put into his heart (this Message): 'Of a surety thou shalt (one day) tell them the truth of this their affair while they know (thee) not' 15 Then they came to their father in the early part of the night, weeping. 16 And said: "We went racing with one another and left Joseph to guard our things when a wolf devoured him. But you will not believe us even though we tell the truth." 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 And there came a caravan of travellers; they sent their water-drawer, and he let down his bucket (into the well). He said: "What good news! Here is a boy." So they hid him as merchandise (a slave). And Allah was the All-Knower of what they did. 19 Then, they sold him for a trifling price, a number of dirhams, because they considered him to be of little value. 20