AND WHEN [the sons of Jacob] presented themselves before Joseph, he drew his brother [Benjamin] unto himself, saying [to him in secret]: "Behold, I am thy brother! So grieve thou not over their past doings!" 69 Then, while Joseph was having their provisions loaded, he put his drinking-cup in his brother's saddlebag. And then a herald cried: "Travellers, you are thieves." 70 They said while approaching them, "What is it you are missing?" 71 They said: we miss the king's cup; and for him who bringeth it shall be a camel-load; and thereof I am a guarantor. 72 They said: "By Allah! Indeed you know that we came not to make mischief in the land, and we are no thieves!" 73 They said: what shall be the meed of him, if ye are found liars! 74 They said: "The penalty should be that he in whose saddle-bag it is found, should be held (as bondman) to atone for the (crime). Thus it is we punish the wrong-doers!" 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 is a thief, a brother of his had [also] committed theft before him." But Joseph kept his secret and revealed nothing to them. He said [to himself], "Your deed was worse. God best knows the things you speak of." 77 They said: O ruler of the land! Lo! he hath a very aged father, so take one of us instead of him. Lo! we behold thee of those who do kindness. 78 He replied, "God forbid! How could I take someone in place of the thief? In doing so I would be committing injustice." 79