Tafsir of Yusuf 12:70

“And when he had furnished them with their provisions,” meaning he fulfilled their measure and added for each of them—according to what is reported—the load of a camel.

“He put the drinking-cup,” which is a vessel from which the King drinks and by which food was measured for the people. It is said it was used to water beasts and measure grains, made of silver inlaid with jewels, as reported from Ikrimah, or without that, as reported from Ibn Abbas and Al-Hasan. From Ibn Zayd, it is said it was of gold; others say it was of silver gilded with gold; and others say it was an elongated vessel resembling the Persian makuk, whose two ends meet, used by the non-Arabs. It is narrated that Al-Abbas had a similar one in the Age of Ignorance from which he drank. Due to the scarcity of food in those years, the measuring was limited to that vessel. The manifest view is that the one who placed it was Yusuf, peace be upon him, himself. Since he was a King, it is understood that he did not perform the act personally but commanded someone, who then placed it “into the saddlebag of his brother,” Benjamin, whether he [the brother] perceived it or not.

It is read as “and he placed” (wa-ja'ala) with a waw. There are two possibilities for this: first, that the waw is extra according to the school of the Kufans, and what follows is the response to “when” (lamma). Second, that it is a conjunction to a deleted clause which serves as the response, meaning: "When he had furnished them with their provisions, he delayed them until they departed, and [then] he placed [the cup]."

“Then a herald called out,” meaning a proclaimer called, as in Majma' al-Bayan. In Al-Kashshaf and others, it is stated: "A caller called out." It has been objected to that grammarians have said one should not say "a standing one stood" (qama qa'im) because it lacks utility. It is answered that they intended that it is the nature of that caller to announce what he calls out, meaning he is described by an implicit quality that completes the utility; that is, a specific man was authorized for the calling.

“‘O you of the caravan! Indeed, you are thieves.’”

It is sometimes said that analogy of the exalted text to the mentioned example is not appropriate, and utility is often completed by what is not part of the sentence’s core components. From the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) comes: "The adulterer does not commit adultery while he is a believer, and the wine-drinker does not drink wine while he is a believer."

Al-'ir refers to the camels that carry loads; it is called this because they carry (tu'ayyar), meaning they go and come. It is a collective noun for which there is no singular form. The intent here is the owners of the caravan, as in the saying of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace): "O horses of Allah, mount!" This is either by way of metaphor or ellipsis, although the meaning was considered in the verse and not considered in the Hadith. It is said that al-'ir refers to a caravan of donkeys, then it was extended in usage until it was said of every caravan, as if it were the plural of 'ayr (with a fatha on the 'ayn and sukun on the ya), which is the donkey. Its origin is 'ayr with a damma on the 'ayn and the ya; the damma on the ya was found heavy and was dropped, then the 'ayn was kasra-voweled due to the heaviness of the ya following the damma, as was done in bid (plural of abyad) and ghid (plural of aghyad). Interpreting al-'ir here as a caravan of camels is what is reported from the majority, while Mujahid says it was a caravan of donkeys.

As for the address, “Indeed, you are thieves,” if it was by the command of Yusuf, peace be upon him, then perhaps what was intended by "theft" was their taking him [Benjamin] from his father by way of betrayal, like thieves, and Benjamin's inclusion in this is by way of generalization (taghlib). Or, "theft" refers to the drinking-cup. The necessity of a lie does not harm, for if it contains a benefit, it is permitted. As for it being with his brother's consent, that does not negate the committing of a lie; it only negates the brother's being harmed by it. Or, the meaning is interrogative: "Are you thieves?" The remoteness of this is not hidden. Otherwise, it is from the caller based on his assumption. It is said the first is the more apparent and consistent with the context.

In Al-Bahr, it appears that this deception, accusing the innocent of theft, and causing grief to Ya'qub, peace be upon him, was by revelation from Allah, the Almighty, as He knew the righteousness therein and what He intended by their trial through it. This is supported by His saying, the Almighty: “Thus did We plan for Yusuf.” The Yamani read it as “You are thieves” without the emphatic lam.