Quran Universe
12:70

فَلَمَّا جَهَّزَهُم بِجَهَازِهِمۡ جَعَلَ ٱلسِّقَايَةَ فِي رَحۡلِ أَخِيهِ ثُمَّ أَذَّنَ مُؤَذِّنٌ أَيَّتُهَا ٱلۡعِيرُ إِنَّكُمۡ لَسَٰرِقُونَ

Falamma jahhazahum bijahazihim jaAAala alssiqayata fee rahli akheehi thumma aththana muaththinun ayyatuha alAAeeru innakum lasariqoona

So when he had furnished them with their supplies, he put the [gold measuring] bowl into the bag of his brother. Then an announcer called out, "O caravan, indeed you are thieves."

Word by word
  1. فَلَمَّاSo when
  2. جَهَّزَهُمhe had furnished them
  3. بِجَهَازِهِمۡwith their supplies
  4. جَعَلَhe put
  5. ٱلسِّقَايَةَthe drinking cup
  6. فِيin
  7. رَحۡلِthe bag
  8. أَخِيهِ(of) his brother
  9. ثُمَّThen
  10. أَذَّنَcalled out
  11. مُؤَذِّنٌan announcer
  12. أَيَّتُهَاO you
  13. ٱلۡعِيرُ(in) the caravan
  14. إِنَّكُمۡIndeed,you
  15. لَسَٰرِقُونَsurely (are) thieves
Yusuf · 12:70Makkah

The king's bowl hidden in Binyamin's bag.

A plan to keep his brother with him

The plan
the bowlthe king's measure
placed in
Binyamin's baghe knew the plan
then
the cryyou are thieves
What it looked like
a theftto the brothers
really
a reunionbrother kept with brother

After supplying them, Yusuf had the king's bowl placed in Binyamin's bag. Ibn Kathir notes it was used for drinking and, in the drought, for measuring grain. Then a crier called out: O caravan, you are thieves!

Sometimes a scene looks like a disaster from where you stand: a sudden transfer at work, a delayed flight, an awkward misunderstanding. You do not see the plan behind it. It may be bringing someone together.

If it looks like a disaster, it must be one.

What looks like trouble from outside can be part of a plan for good.

Try this

Think of one recent setback and ask: what good might be hidden inside this?

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

So when he furnished them forth with their provisions, he put the bowl in his brother's bag. Then a crier cried: "O you (in) the caravan! Surely, you are thieves! (70)They, turning towards them, said: "What is it that you have lost? (71)They said: "We have lost the bowl of the king and for him who produces it is (the reward of) a camel load; and I will be bound by it. (72)

Yusuf had His Golden Bowl placed in Binyamin's Bag; a Plot to keep Him in Egypt

After Yusuf supplied them with their provisions, he ordered some of his servants to place his silver bowl (in Binyamin's bag), according to the majority of scholars. Some scholars said that the king's bowl was made from gold. Ibn Zayd added that the king used it to drink from, and later, measured food grains with it since food became scarce in that time, according to Ibn 'Abbas, Mujahid, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and 'Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd. Shu'bah said that Abu Bishr narrated that Sa'id bin Jubayr said that Ibn 'Abbas said that the king's bowl was made from silver and he used it to drink with. Yusuf had the bowl placed in Binyamin's bag while they were unaware, and then had someone herald,

أَيَّتُهَا الْعِيرُ إِنَّكُمْ لَسَارِقُونَ

(O you (in) the caravan! Surely, you are thieves!) They looked at the man who was heralding this statement and asked him,

مَّاذَا تَفْقِدُونَ - قَالُوا نَفْقِدُ صُوَاعَ الْمَلِكِ

("What is it that you have lost?" They said: "We have lost the bowl of the king..."), which he used to measure food grains,

وَلِمَن جَاءَ بِهِ حِمْلُ بَعِيرٍ

(and for him who produces it is a camel load), as a reward,

وَأَنَا بِهِ زَعِيمٌ

(and I will be bound by it.), as assurance of delivery of the reward.