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 So when he had furnished them forth with their provisions, he put the (golden) bowl into his brother's bag, then a crier cried: "O you (in) the caravan! Surely, you are thieves!" 70 They said, turning towards 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 They said: By Allah, well ye know we came not to do evil in the land, and are no thieves. 73 (The Egyptians) said: "What then shall be the penalty of this, if ye are (proved) to have lied?" 74 Joseph's brothers replied, "In whosoever baggage it is found, that person will be your bondsman. Thus is the punishment of the unjust." 75 So he searched their saddle-bags before his brother's, then produced the cup from his brother's bag. That is how We planned an excuse for Joseph, for under the law of the king he could not detain his brother unless God so willed. We raise the status of whom We please. Over every man of knowledge there is one more knowing. 76 ۞ They said, "If he steals - a brother of his has stolen before." But Joseph kept it within himself and did not reveal it to them. He said, "You are worse in position, and Allah is most knowing of what you describe." 77 They said: O chief! he has a father, a very old man, therefore retain one of us in his stead; surely we see you to be of the doers of good. 78 Joseph said: "Allah forbid that we should seize any except him with whom we found our good. Were we to do so, we would surely be one of the wrong-doers." 79