And when they entered in the company Yusuf, he seated his brother close to him and said, “Be assured, I really am your brother – therefore do not grieve for what they do.” 69 At length when he had furnished them forth with provisions (suitable) for them, he put the drinking cup into his brother's saddle-bag. Then shouted out a crier: "O ye (in) the caravan! behold! ye are thieves, without doubt!" 70 They said while approaching them, "What is it you are missing?" 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 They said: By Allah! you know for certain that we have not come to make mischief in the land, and we are not thieves. 73 They said, 'And what shall be its recompense if you are liars?' 74 They replied, "The penalty should be that he in whose saddlebag it is found, should be held [as bondman] to atone for the crime. That is how we punish the wrongdoers." 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: "No wonder that he steals for a brother of his stole before." But Joseph kept his reaction to himself without disclosing the truth to them. He merely said to himself: "You are an evil lot. Allah knows well the truth of the accusation that you are making against me (to my face)." 77 They said, "Noble Prince, his father is very old so please take one of us in his place. We believe that you are a righteous person". 78 He replied, "God forbid! How could I take someone in place of the thief? In doing so I would be committing injustice." 79