When they came to Joseph he made his brother his guest, and said: "I am your brother. So do not grieve for what they had done." 69 And when he had given them their provisions, he hid a drinking cup in his brother's saddlebag. Then a herald called out after them: 'Cameleers, you are thieves!' 70 They said, turning towards them: "What is it that ye miss?" 71 They said, "We are missing the measure of the king. And for he who produces it is [the reward of] a camel's load, and I am responsible for it." 72 They said: "We swear by God. You know we did not come to commit any crime in the land, nor are we thieves." 73 The officials said: "If you are lying, what will be the penalty for him who has stolen?" 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 ۞ (Joseph's) brothers said, "It's no wonder that he steals; a brother of his had stolen before him." Joseph noted their remarks, but did not utter a word. He said (to himself), "You are in a worse position. God knows best what you allege." 77 They said, “O governor! He has a very aged father, so take one of us in his stead; indeed we witness your favours.” 78 He answered: "May God preserve us from [the sin of] detaining any other than him with whom we have found our property - for then, behold, we would indeed be evildoers!" 79