Quranic theme
brothers come to him for supplies
11 verses
When the sons of Jacob travel to Egypt for grain, they present themselves before a high official, completely unaware that he is the brother they once discarded. Joseph recognizes them immediately, but they do not recognize him (12:58). He oversees their resupply, establishing a dynamic where he controls their access to essential sustenance.
What was the condition for future supplies?
Once Joseph has given them their provisions, he initiates a test. He demands they bring the brother they left behind with their father, contrasting the severity of his demand with his hospitality: "Have you not seen me giving generous measure and being the best of hosts?" (12:59). He makes it clear that without this brother, they will be entirely cut off. They will receive no more corn, nor will they even be allowed to approach him (12:60).
The brothers assure him they will do all they can to persuade their father (12:61). To ensure they have the means and motivation to return, Joseph orders his servants to secretly place the brothers' traded goods back into their saddlebags. He calculates that finding their bartered items restored will make them eager to return to their family and eventually come back to him (12:62).
How did the brothers convince their father?
Back home, the brothers present the Egyptian official's condition to their father. They report that they have been denied further corn, but promise that if their brother is sent with them, they will be given another measure and will guard him carefully (12:63). Jacob's response is weighed down by their history. He asks if he is to entrust this son to them just as he entrusted his brother to them years before, stating that God is the best guardian and the Most Merciful of the merciful (12:64).
The argument shifts when the brothers open their packs and discover Joseph's hidden goods. They use the returned items as proof of a highly favorable situation: they need no more goods to barter, they can secure corn for the household, they will keep their brother safe, and they will easily acquire an extra camel-load of grain (12:65). Despite the financial incentive, Jacob refuses to send him unless they swear a binding oath by God to bring him back, provided it is humanly possible (12:66). When they give their pledge, Jacob accepts it by declaring their words entrusted to God.
Why did Jacob tell them to use different gates?
As they prepare to depart, Jacob issues a final instruction regarding their entry into the Egyptian city. He tells his sons not to enter all by one gate, but to divide themselves and use different gates (12:67). He immediately clarifies the limit of this strategy, warning them that he cannot help them against the will of God, as all power belongs to Him. He affirms his own trust in God and advises that everyone should put their trust in Him.
The brothers follow his instructions and enter the city exactly as he dictated, but this dispersed entry provides no actual leverage against God's will. It merely serves to satisfy a wish held by Jacob, a man who knew well what God had taught him, though most people do not (12:68).
Verses
All 11 verses, in mushaf order.
وَجَآءَ إِخْوَةُ يُوسُفَ فَدَخَلُوا۟ عَلَيْهِ فَعَرَفَهُمْ وَهُمْ لَهُۥ مُنكِرُونَ
Joseph’s brothers came and presented themselves before him. He recognized them- though they did not recognize him-
وَلَمَّا جَهَّزَهُم بِجَهَازِهِمْ قَالَ ٱئْتُونِى بِأَخٍ لَّكُم مِّنْ أَبِيكُمْ ۚ أَلَا تَرَوْنَ أَنِّىٓ أُوفِى ٱلْكَيْلَ وَأَنَا۠ خَيْرُ ٱلْمُنزِلِينَ
and once he had given them their provisions, he said, ‘Bring me the brother [you left with] your father! Have you not seen me giving generous measure and being the best of hosts?
فَإِن لَّمْ تَأْتُونِى بِهِۦ فَلَا كَيْلَ لَكُمْ عِندِى وَلَا تَقْرَبُونِ
You will have no more corn from me if you do not bring him to me, and you will not be permitted to approach me.’
قَالُوا۟ سَنُرَٰوِدُ عَنْهُ أَبَاهُ وَإِنَّا لَفَـٰعِلُونَ
They said, ‘We shall do all we can to persuade his father to send him with us, indeed we shall.’
وَقَالَ لِفِتْيَـٰنِهِ ٱجْعَلُوا۟ بِضَـٰعَتَهُمْ فِى رِحَالِهِمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَعْرِفُونَهَآ إِذَا ٱنقَلَبُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰٓ أَهْلِهِمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ
Joseph said to his servants, ‘Put their [traded] goods back into their saddlebags, so that they may recognize them when they go back to their family, and [be eager to] return.’
فَلَمَّا رَجَعُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰٓ أَبِيهِمْ قَالُوا۟ يَـٰٓأَبَانَا مُنِعَ مِنَّا ٱلْكَيْلُ فَأَرْسِلْ مَعَنَآ أَخَانَا نَكْتَلْ وَإِنَّا لَهُۥ لَحَـٰفِظُونَ
When they returned to their father, they said, ‘Father, we have been denied any more corn, but send our brother back with us and we shall be given another measure. We shall guard him carefully.’
قَالَ هَلْ ءَامَنُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ إِلَّا كَمَآ أَمِنتُكُمْ عَلَىٰٓ أَخِيهِ مِن قَبْلُ ۖ فَٱللَّهُ خَيْرٌ حَـٰفِظًا ۖ وَهُوَ أَرْحَمُ ٱلرَّٰحِمِينَ
He said, ‘Am I to entrust him to you as I did his brother before? God is the best guardian and the Most Merciful of the merciful.’
وَلَمَّا فَتَحُوا۟ مَتَـٰعَهُمْ وَجَدُوا۟ بِضَـٰعَتَهُمْ رُدَّتْ إِلَيْهِمْ ۖ قَالُوا۟ يَـٰٓأَبَانَا مَا نَبْغِى ۖ هَـٰذِهِۦ بِضَـٰعَتُنَا رُدَّتْ إِلَيْنَا ۖ وَنَمِيرُ أَهْلَنَا وَنَحْفَظُ أَخَانَا وَنَزْدَادُ كَيْلَ بَعِيرٍ ۖ ذَٰلِكَ كَيْلٌ يَسِيرٌ
Then, when they opened their packs, they discovered that their goods had been returned to them and they said, ‘Father! We need no more [goods to barter]: look, our goods have been returned to us. We shall get corn for our household; we shall keep our brother safe; we shall be entitled to another camel-load of grain- an extra measure so easily achieved!’
قَالَ لَنْ أُرْسِلَهُۥ مَعَكُمْ حَتَّىٰ تُؤْتُونِ مَوْثِقًا مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ لَتَأْتُنَّنِى بِهِۦٓ إِلَّآ أَن يُحَاطَ بِكُمْ ۖ فَلَمَّآ ءَاتَوْهُ مَوْثِقَهُمْ قَالَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ مَا نَقُولُ وَكِيلٌ
He said, ‘I will never send him with you, not unless you swear by God that you will bring him back to me if that is humanly possible.’ Then, when they had given him their pledge, he said, ‘Our words are entrusted to God.’
وَقَالَ يَـٰبَنِىَّ لَا تَدْخُلُوا۟ مِنۢ بَابٍ وَٰحِدٍ وَٱدْخُلُوا۟ مِنْ أَبْوَٰبٍ مُّتَفَرِّقَةٍ ۖ وَمَآ أُغْنِى عَنكُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ مِن شَىْءٍ ۖ إِنِ ٱلْحُكْمُ إِلَّا لِلَّهِ ۖ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ ۖ وَعَلَيْهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ ٱلْمُتَوَكِّلُونَ
He said, ‘My sons, do not enter all by one gate- use different gates. But I cannot help you against the will of God: all power is in God’s hands. I trust in Him; let everyone put their trust in Him,’
وَلَمَّا دَخَلُوا۟ مِنْ حَيْثُ أَمَرَهُمْ أَبُوهُم مَّا كَانَ يُغْنِى عَنْهُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ مِن شَىْءٍ إِلَّا حَاجَةً فِى نَفْسِ يَعْقُوبَ قَضَىٰهَا ۚ وَإِنَّهُۥ لَذُو عِلْمٍ لِّمَا عَلَّمْنَـٰهُ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
and, when they entered as their father had told them, it did not help them against the will of God, it merely satisfied a wish of Jacob’s. He knew well what We had taught him, though most people do not.
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- Chief Minster’s wife tries to seduce him 7
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- his father’s renewed grief 5
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- banquet incident 3
- best of stories 3
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- young Yusuf’s dream 3
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- raised in Egypt’s Chief Minister’s house 2
- sold into slavery 2
- concluding prayer 1