۞ In the story of Joseph and his brothers, there is evidence (of the truth) for those who seek to know. 7 NOW [Joseph's brothers] spoke [thus to one another:] "Truly, Joseph and his brother [Benjamin] are dearer to our father than we, even though we are so many. Behold, our father is surely suffering from an aberration!" 8 Kill Joseph or cast him out to [another] land; the countenance of your father will [then] be only for you, and you will be after that a righteous people." 9 One of them said, "Do not kill Joseph, but if you must, throw him into a dark well so that perhaps some caravan will take him away." 10 They said: "O our father! why dost thou not trust us with Joseph,- seeing we are indeed his sincere well-wishers? 11 Send him with us tomorrow that he may enjoy himself and play. And lo! we shall take good care of him. 12 Their father answered: "It grieves me indeed that you should take him with you for I fear that some wolf might eat him up while you are negligent of him." 13 They said: if the wolf devoured him while we were a company, we must indeed then be the losers! 14 So, when they took him out they planned to throw him into an unused well. We revealed to Joseph: "You will tell them (one day) of this deed when they will not apprehend it." 15 Then they came to their father in the early part of the night, weeping. 16 They said: our father! we went off competing, and left Yusuf by our stuff, so a wolf devoured him; and thou wilt put no credence in us, even though we are the truth-tellers. 17 And they came with false blood on his shirt. He said: Nay, but your minds have beguiled you into something. (My course is) comely patience. And Allah it is Whose help is to be sought in that (predicament) which ye describe. 18 Then came travellers, and they sent one of them, a water-drawer, who let down his bucket. 'Good news!' he said. 'Here is a young man.' So they hid him as merchandise; but God knew what they were doing. 19 Then they sold him for a paltry price, a handful of counted dirhams; for they set small store by him. 20