“And when they opened their baggage, they found that their merchandise had been returned to them. They said, ‘O our father, what more could we ask? Here is our merchandise returned to us. We will procure provisions for our family, protect our brother, and obtain an additional camel-load. That is an easy measure.’ (65) He said, ‘I will not send him with you until you give me a solemn pledge before Allah that you will certainly bring him back to me, unless you are overwhelmed.’ Then, when they gave him their solemn pledge, he said, ‘Allah is Witness over what we say.’ (66)”

“And when they opened their baggage”—which they had brought from Egypt—“they found that their merchandise,” that is, the price of the food, “had been returned to them. They said, ‘O our father, what more could we ask?’” That is: What more could we desire, and what else could we request? This was because they had told Jacob, peace be upon him, of the king’s kindness toward them and urged him to send Benjamin with them. Then, when they opened the baggage and found the merchandise, they said: “Here is our merchandise returned to us.” What need is there for further words? This is visible proof of his kindness and generosity: he gave us the full measure and returned the payment to us. They meant to put their father’s mind at ease.

“And we will procure provisions for our family”: that is, we will buy food for them and carry it back to them. One says, “He supplied his family with provisions,” when he carries food to them from one town [to another town] (1). Similarly, one says, “He procured provisions.”

“And we will protect our brother,” Benjamin; that is, from what you fear for him. “And obtain an additional camel-load”: that is, a camel-load measured out for us on his account, since he used to grant each man a camel-load in his name. “That is an easy measure.” [That is, what we carried is little and does not suffice for us and our family. It was also said that it means: We will obtain an additional camel-load, and that is an easy measure.] (2) It involves neither expense nor hardship.

Mujahid said: Here, ba‘ir means a donkey. “A camel-load” thus means a donkey-load; this is an accepted usage, for a donkey may be called a ba‘ir. They had donkeys, but the first view—that it means the well-known camel—is more correct.

Jacob said to them, “I will not send him with you until you give me”—that is, grant me—“a solemn pledge,” a covenant and binding agreement, “before Allah.” A binding covenant is one reinforced by an oath. It was also said that it is one confirmed [by calling Allah to witness] (3) against oneself: “that you will certainly bring him back to me.” The lām was added because the wording carries the sense of an oath. “Unless you are overwhelmed”: Mujahid said, “Unless you all perish.”

Qatadah said: “Unless you are overcome such that you are unable to do so.”

It is related in the story that the brothers fell into severe hardship and distress, and Jacob had no alternative but to send Benjamin with them.

“Then, when they gave him their solemn pledge”—184/b—that is, they gave him their covenants (4), “he said,” meaning Jacob.