The Quran

فَبَدَأَ بِأَوعِيَتِهِم قَبلَ وِعاءِ أَخيهِ ثُمَّ استَخرَجَها مِن وِعاءِ أَخيهِ ۚ كَذٰلِكَ كِدنا لِيوسُفَ ۖ ما كانَ لِيَأخُذَ أَخاهُ في دينِ المَلِكِ إِلّا أَن يَشاءَ اللَّهُ ۚ نَرفَعُ دَرَجاتٍ مَن نَشاءُ ۗ وَفَوقَ كُلِّ ذي عِلمٍ عَليمٌ

Muhammad Asad

Thereupon [they were brought before Joseph to be searched; and] he began with the bags of his half-brothers¹ before the bag of his brother [Benjamin]: and in the end he brought forth the drinking cup² out of his brother's bag. In this way did We contrive for Joseph [the attainment of his heart's desire]: under the King's law, he would [otherwise] not have been able to detain his brother, had not God so willed. We do raise to [high] degrees [of knowledge] whomever We will - but above everyone who is endowed with knowledge there is One who knows all.³

Lit., "with their bags".
Lit., "he brought it out".
The meaning of this story is now clear: it is a further illustration of the basic doctrine that "judgment [as to what is to happen] rests with none but God" (verse 67 above). Joseph had wanted to keep Benjamin with himself, but under the law of Egypt he could not do this without the consent of his half-brothers, who were the legal guardians of their minor brother; and they bound as they were by the solemn promise given to their father - would certainly not have agreed to Benjamin's remaining behind. The only other alternative open to Joseph was to disclose his identity to them; but since he was not yet prepared to go so far, he was obliged to allow Benjamin to depart with his brothers. The accidental discovery of his gift, entirely unexpected by Joseph (see note 72 above), changed everything: for now Benjamin appeared to be guilty of theft, and under the law of the land Joseph was entitled to claim him as his slave, and thus to keep him in his house. The words, "In this way did We contrive (kidna) for Joseph [the attainment of his heart's desire]", referring to the incident of the cup, indicate that its final outcome was neither planned nor even foreseen by Joseph.