According to Taberî, the expression 'bâdâatin müzcâh' refers to the worthless or small amount of goods that Joseph's brothers brought to Egypt; regarding the quality of this merchandise, various closely related views have been transmitted among the exegetes such as defective/flawed dirhams, incomplete/poor quality dirhams, Bedouin goods like wool and fat, worthless items like rope and sacks, or simply 'a small amount.' The author also explains through poetic examples that the root 'izcâ' originally means 'to drive, to propel,' and notes that the word signifies this weak and forcibly imposed merchandise.

وأصل الإزجاء: السوق بالدفع، كما قال النابغة الذبياني

According to Zemahşerî, when Joseph's brothers said to him 'give us alms,' they meant something beyond their own share; their calling it alms was because that surplus was not obligatory upon them as a gift, for alms are forbidden to prophets (according to one view, alms were permissible to prophets other than our prophet). The text also states that the brothers showed humility toward Joseph and requested his mercy, whereupon Joseph took pity on them and revealed his identity. Furthermore, it is explained that the word 'alms' means a gift made in hope of reward from Allah, therefore one cannot say to Allah 'give me alms,' but rather should say 'give me, bestow upon me, have mercy on me.'

فسموا ما هو فضل وزيادة لا تلزمه صدقة ، لأن الصدقات محظورة على الأنبياء ، وقيل كانت تحل لغير نبينا . وسئل ابن عيينة عن ذلك فقال : ألم تسمع أراد أنها كانت حلالا لهم

Kurtubî interprets the brothers' coming to Joseph and saying 'hardship has touched us and our family' as an explicit expression of hunger and need; he states that this is not contrary to trust in Allah, and that informing someone from whom benefit is hoped about a difficult situation is permissible and sometimes even obligatory. He also transmits different interpretations of the request 'give us alms' (forgiving the price difference, returning the brothers, forgiving the surplus) and narrations about what the expression 'bidâa-i müzcâe' is (dried meat-broth, sack-rope, wool-fat, pistachio/carob seed, and the like).

وفي هذا دليل على جواز الشكوى عند الضر أي الجوع بل واجب عليه إذا خاف على نفسه الضر من الفقر وغيره أن يبدي حالته إلى من يرجو منه النفع

Ibn Kesîr explains that Jacob's sons, when they entered Egypt and came to Joseph, stated that the value of the provisions they had brought due to famine was small and worthless (of a defective/unacceptable type). Regarding this 'small/worthless payment,' he transmits different narrations from exegetes such as Mujâhid, Al-Hasan, Ibn Abbas, Qatâdah, Al-Suddî, Sa'îd b. Jubayr, Abû Sâlih and Dahhâk (defective dirhams, worthless items like sacks and ropes, pine nuts, etc.). He also supports with poetic examples that the expression 'bidâatin müzcâh' (small goods being forced upon someone) derives from the root 'izcâ' in the language, which means to propel a weak thing with great difficulty; finally, he transmits a narration through Sufyân b. Uyaynah and Mujâhid regarding the matter of whether alms-giving to prophets has been forbidden or not.

وقال ابن عباس الرديء لا ينفق مثل خلق الغرارة والحبل والشيء وفي رواية عنه الدراهم الرديئة التي لا تجوز إلا بنقصان وكذا قال قتادة والسدي وقال سعيد بن جبير هي الدراهم الفسول

According to Beydâvî, Joseph's brothers on their second visit to Egypt complained of the severity of hunger, said they had brought a worthless or small amount of capital (bidâa müzcâh), and requested that he give them full measure, return their brother, or accept their goods and give them more as an act of charity. In this context, it has been debated whether alms-giving to prophets is forbidden and whether this is specific only to the Prophet. It is also noted that the word 'charity' originally means an absolute gift/kindness, but is designated in customary usage for gifts made for Allah's sake.

واختلف في أن حرمة الصدقة تعم الأنبياء عليهم الصلاة والسلام أو تختص بنبينا صلى الله عليه وسلم. إن الله يجزي المتصدقين أحسن الجزاء والتصدق التفضل مطلقا

According to this exegete, the text indicates that sailing ships in the sea is from Allah's mercy, through which people are able to seek sustenance and commerce. Furthermore, the concept 'يتصدق' is discussed in the text, stating that Allah does not give charity, that only the one who hopes for reward can give charity, and that what is requested from Allah should be in the form of 'give' or 'bestow.'

لأن الله لا يتصدق إنما يتصدق الذي يبتغي الثواب ، وإنما يقول : اللهم أعطني أو تفضل