۞ Verily in Joseph and his brethren are signs (of Allah's Sovereignty) for the inquiring. 7 And call to mind when the brothers of Joseph conferred together and said: "Surely Joseph and his brother are dearer to our father than we are, although we are a group of so many. Our father is clearly mistaken. 8 Let us kill Joseph or cast him in some distant land so that we may get our father's exclusive affection; then play innocent." 9 One of them said: "If you must do so, then do not kill Joseph, but throw him into an unused well. Some passing caravan may rescue him." 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 and play. We shall take care of him." 12 Jacob replied, "I shall be grieved if you take him with you; I fear that some wild-beast will harm him in your absence." 13 They said: if the wolf devoured him while we were a company, we must indeed then be the losers! 14 So, when they took him out they planned to throw him into an unused well. We revealed to Joseph: "You will tell them (one day) of this deed when they will not apprehend it." 15 And they came to their father at night, weeping. 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 showed him their brother's shirt, stained with false blood. "No!" he cried. "Your souls have tempted you to do something evil! But it is best to be patient: God alone can help me bear the loss you speak of." 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 And they sold him as worthless for a few paltry dirham. 20