Their second arrival – "He sheltered his brother with him"

When they entered as their father had advised them, nothing could avail them against (the will of) God, yet it confirmed a premonition Jacob had, for verily he had knowledge as We had taught him, though most men do not know.

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."

When he had given them their provisions he put his goblet in his brother's saddle-bag. Then a crier announced: "O men of the caravan, you are thieves."

They turned to them and asked: "What is it you have lost?"

"We cannot find the master's goblet. Whoever comes up with it will be given a camel-load of grain; I vouch for it."

They said: "We swear by God. You know we did not come to commit any crime in the land, nor are we thieves."

"What should be the punishment," they were asked, "in case you are liars?"

"The punishment for that (should be)," they said, "that he in whose luggage it is found should be held as punishment. This is how we repay the wrong-doers."

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.

Said the brothers: "If he has stolen (no wonder), his brother had stolen before." But Joseph kept this secret and did not disclose it to them, and said (to himself): "You are worse in the degree of evil, for God knows better of what you allege."

They said: "O Minister, he has an aged father, so keep one of us in his place. We see you are a virtuous man."

"May God forgive us," he said, "if we hold any one but him with whom we found our property, or else we would be unjust."

When they despaired of (persuading) him, they went aside to confer. The oldest of them said: "You know that your father has pledged you in the name of God, and you have been guilty of iniquity in the case of Joseph before. I will not leave this place unless my father permits or God decides for me, for He is the best of all judges.