In this text, Taberî explains the implicit/omitted expression in the verse (the part where the brothers took Joseph and cast him is not explicitly mentioned and is continued with 'and they agreed'), and he also reports different views about the meaning of the expression 'and We revealed to Joseph that you will inform them of their affair': According to some, Allah revealed to Joseph while he was in the well that he would inform his brothers of what they had done to him, and the brothers were unaware of this revelation; according to others, it is meant that Joseph will reveal his identity to them and they will not know it.

وفي الكلام متروك حذف ذكره اكتفاء بما ظهر عما ترك، وهو: فأرسله معهم، فلما ذهبوا به، {وأجمعوا} يقول: وأجمعوا رأيهم وعزموا على فأدخلت الواو في الجواب

According to Zemahşerî, the sentence 'disputing with us' is an independent statement and is in the nature of a response to a previous question; its implied meaning is 'he dared to oppose us' or 'he perceived the dispute with us' or 'he said thus and thus'. He also mentions that the verb 'they agreed' derives from the expression 'he resolved the matter and made it firm'. He reports a difference of opinion about whether the revelation came to Joseph in his childhood (like John and Jesus) or in his maturity; he cites from Hasan the report that he was seventeen years old at that time.

وتقديره : اجترأ على خطابنا ، أو فطن لمجادلتنا ، أو قال : كيت وكيت : ثم ابتدأ فقال : مفعول { أجمعوا } من قولك : أجمع الأمر وأزمعه قيل أوحي إليه في الصغر كما أوحي إلى يحيى وعيسى : وقيل كان إذا ذاك مدركا . وعن الحسن : كان له سبع عشرة سنة

According to this exegete, there are two views regarding the revelation mentioned in the verse: the first is that this is a true revelation concerning prophethood, and those holding this view have disagreed about whether Joseph was mature or a child at that time; the second is that this was inspiration. Râzî also explains the brothers' failure to recognize Joseph when they came to his door by reasons such as him speaking from behind a curtain from a distance, his beard having grown, his clothing and position having changed, forty years having passed, and Allah not creating this non-recognition in their hearts.

وأما أنهم ما عرفوه فلوجوه : الأول : أنه عليه السلام أمر حجابه بأن يوقفوهم من البعد وما كان يتكلم معهم إلا بالواسطة

Kurtubî reports that Jacob took a firm covenant from Joseph when sending him with his brothers, particularly entrusting him to Reuben for his protection, but when he disappeared from their father's sight, the brothers treated him harshly and initially intended to cast him into the well. He lists different views about whether Joseph was still a child at that time or eighteen years old, whether he was given prophethood/revelation while in the well, citing scholars (Hasan, Mujahid, Dahhak, Qatada, Kalbi). He also transmits two interpretations about whether the revelation came before or after being cast into the well: one is that it came later to strengthen his heart and give him glad tidings of salvation, the other is that it came beforehand to inform him in advance of what would befall them.

وقال الكلبي : ألقي في الجب وهو بن ثماني عشرة سنة فما كان صغيرا ومن قال كان صغيرا فلا يبعد في العقل أن يتنبأ الصغير ويوحى إليه

According to Beydâwî, his brothers tormented and beat Joseph before casting him into the well, and when lowering him into the well they stripped off his shirt and bound his hand; Joseph's shirt was one that Gabriel had brought from the silk of Paradise to Abraham, and which came to Joseph through Isaac and Jacob as an amulet placed upon him. The revelation came to him when he was seventeen years old (or according to one view, at a younger age, like John and Jesus). The expression 'they are not aware' in the verse refers to the moment when Joseph recognized them in Egypt but they did not recognize him, and this news was given to him to please his heart and bring him consolation.

فقال يهوذا: أما عاهدتموني أن لا تقتلوه فأتوا به إلى البئر، فدلوه فيها فتعلق بشفيرها فربطوا يديه ونزعوا قميصه ليلطخوه بالدم ويحتالوا به على أبيهم