[2794] Due to lack of historical evidence of what exactly was the ‘stealing’ the brothers ascribed to Joseph (عليه السلام), it is safe to proper that this was merely a ploy to avert blame and that it was nothing but a lie (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, al-Shawkānī).
[2795] A cataphoric reference to Joseph’s (عليه السلام) upcoming monologue (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Zajjāj, al-Baghawī).
[2796] Waṣf (description) is often used in the Qur’an to denote lying (cf. al-Samīn al-Ḥalabī, ʿUmdat al-Ḥuffāẓ, 4:317).