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Tafsir of Yusuf 12:19

Surah Yusuf 12:19

ﲃ ﲄ ﲅ ﲆ ﲇ ﲈ ﲉ ﲊ ﲋ ﲌ ﲍ ﲎ ﲏ ﲐ ﲑ ﲒ ﲓ ﲔ ﲕ

And there came a company of travelers; then they sent their water drawer, and he let down his bucket. He said, "Good news! Here is a boy." And they concealed him, [taking him] as merchandise; and Allah was knowing of what they did.

Tafsir

Al-Kashshaf

Verse range: 12:19

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{And there came a caravan} A company traveling from the direction of Midian to Egypt. This was three days after Joseph was cast into the well. They had missed their way and camped near it. The well was in a desolate place, far from civilization, used only by shepherds. It is said its water was salty, but it became sweet when Joseph was cast into it.

{So they sent their water-drawer} A man named Malik ibn Du'r al-Khuza'i, to fetch water for them. The "water-drawer" (*al-warid*) is the one who goes to the water to draw it for his people.

{He said, "Good news!"} He called out "Good news!" as if saying, "Come forth, for this is your time." * It is recited as *Ya bushraya* (O my good news), adding it to himself. * In the recitation of al-Hasan and others: *Ya bushra* (with a *ya* in place of the *alif*). The *ya* is treated like the *kasra* before the possessive *ya*, a well-known Arabic dialect; I have heard the people of the Sarawat mountains say in their supplications: *Ya sayyidi wa mawli*. * From Nafi': *Ya bushray* (with a sukun). This is not standard due to the meeting of two quiescent letters, unless it is intended as a pause.

It is said that when he lowered his bucket—meaning he sent it into the well—Joseph clung to the rope. When he pulled it out, there was a boy, the most beautiful that could be. He said, "O my good news!"

{This is a boy} It is said he took him away, and when he drew near his companions, he shouted this to give them the good news.

{And they concealed him} The pronoun refers to the water-drawer and his companions; they hid him from the rest of the caravan. It is said they hid his affair and the fact that they found him in the well, telling the others: "The people of the water gave him to us to sell for them in Egypt."

According to Ibn Abbas, the pronoun refers to Joseph’s brothers, meaning they told the caravan: "This is a slave of ours who has run away, so buy him from us." Joseph remained silent, fearing they would kill him.

{As merchandise} In the accusative case as a state (*hal*), meaning: they hid him as goods for trade. *Bida'a* (merchandise) is that which is set aside (*buddi'a*) from wealth for trade.

{And Allah is Knowing of what they do} Nothing of their secrets was hidden from Him. This is a threat to them for treating as merchandise that which was not theirs. Or: Allah is Knowing of the evil deeds Joseph’s brothers committed against their father and their brother.

{And they sold him for a cheap price, a few dirhams, and they were, concerning him, of those indifferent}