And when they had entered as their father bade them, it availed them nothing against God, save for a want in Jacob′s soul which it fulfilled ; for, verily, he was possessed of knowledge, for that we had taught him ; — but most men do not know.
And when they entered in unto Joseph, he took his brother to stay with him, and said, ( Verily, I am thy brother — then take not ill that which they have been doing.
[70] And when he had equipped them with their equipment he placed the drinking cup in his brother's pack ; then a crier cried out, ‘O ye caravan ! verily, ye are thieves !’
They said, approaching them, ‘What is it that ye miss ?’
Said they, ‘We miss the goblet of the king, and whoso brings it shall have a camel-load, and I am guarantee thereof.’
They said, ‘By God ! Ye knew we came not to do evil in the land, and that we were not thieves.’
They said, ‘And what shall be the recompense thereof if ye be liars ?’
[75] They said, ‘The recompense thereof is he in whose pack it is found — he shall be the recompense thereof; thus do we recompense the unjust.’
And he began with their sacks before the sacks of
his brother ; then he drew it forth from his brother′s sack. Thus did we devise a stratagem for Joseph. He could not take his brother by the king′s religion[1] except God pleased ; — we raise the degrees of
- ↑ I. e. by the law of Egypt it was not lawful for Joseph to take his brother for a bondsman as a punishment for theft.
Q 2
