Tafseer Ibn Kathir of YUSUF [63]

63. So, when they returned to their father, they said: ”O our father! No more measure of grain shall we get (unless we take our brother). So send our brother with us, and we shall get our measure and truly, we will guard him.'' 64. He said: ”Can I entrust him to you except as I entrusted his brother ﴿Yusuf﴾ to you aforetime But Allah is the Best to guard, and He is the Most Merciful of those who show mercy.'' Allah says that when they went back to their father,

(they said: ”O our father! No more measure of grain shall we get...'') `after this time, unless you send our brother Binyamin with us. So send him with us, and we shall get our measure and we shall certainly guard him.' Some scholars read this Ayah in a way that means, `and he shall get his ration.' They said,

(and truly, we will guard him.), `do not fear for his safety, for he will be returned back to you.' This is what they said to Ya`qub about their brother Yusuf,

(”Send him with us tomorrow to enjoy himself and play, and verily, we will take care of him.'') ﴿12:12﴾ This is why Prophet Ya`qub said to them,

(Can I entrust him to you except as I entrusted his brother ï´¿Yusufï´¾ to you aforetime) He asked them, `Will you do to him except what you did to his brother Yusuf before, when you took him away from me and separated me from him'

(But Allah is the Best to guard, and He is the Most Merciful of those who show mercy.) Ya`qub said, `Allah has the most mercy with me among all those who show mercy, He is compassionate with me for my old age, feebleness and eagerness for my son. I invoke Allah to return him to me, and to allow him and I to be together; for surely, He is the Most Merciful of those who show mercy.'