When they presented themselves before Joseph, he took his brother [Benjamin] aside. He said, "I am your brother, so do not feel distressed about whatever they have been doing." 69 And [later,] when he had provided them with their provisions, he placed the [King's] drinking-cup in his brother's camel-pack. And [as they were leaving the city,] a herald called out: "O you people of the caravan! Verily, you are thieves! 70 They said while they turned toward them: what is it that ye miss! 71 They said: We miss the king's drinking cup, and he who shall bring it shall have a camel-load and I am responsible for it. 72 Joseph's brothers said, "We swear by God, as you know, that we have not come to spread evil in the land and that we have not committed any theft." 73 They said: But what shall be the requital of this, if you are liars? 74 [The brothers] replied: "Its requital? He in whose camel-pack [the cup] is found - he shall be [enslaved as] a requital thereof! Thus do we [ourselves] requite the doers of [such] wrong. 75 So he [Yusuf (Joseph)] began (the search) in their bags before the bag of his brother. Then he brought it out of his brother's bag. Thus did We plan for Yusuf (Joseph). He could not take his brother by the law of the king (as a slave), except that Allah willed it. (So Allah made the brothers to bind themselves with their way of "punishment, i.e. enslaving of a thief.") We raise to degrees whom We please, but over all those endowed with knowledge is the All-Knowing (Allah). 76 ۞ They said: If he stealeth, a brother of his stole before. But Joseph kept it secret in his soul and revealed it not unto them. He said (within himself): Ye are in worse case, and Allah knoweth best (the truth of) that which ye allege. 77 They said, 'Mighty prince, he has a father, aged and great with years; so take one of us in his place; we see that thou art one of the good-doers.' 78 He replied: 'Allah forbid that we should seize any but he with whom our property was found, for then we should be harmdoers' 79