batch.motif.islamic-koran-sale-gutenberg-l20565-l20642
---
record_id: batch.motif.islamic-koran-sale-gutenberg-l20565-l20642
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-sale.md
passage_locator:
label: CHAPTER XI. / IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD. / CHAPTER XII. / IN THE
NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.; lines 20565-20642
start: '20565'
end: '20642'
translation: The Koran (Al-Qur'an)
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: he knew them, but they knew not him
summary: Joseph’s brothers come to him for provisions. Joseph recognizes them while
they do not recognize him. He requires them to bring their brother Benjamin on
a future visit and has their payment placed back in their sacks. The brothers
return to Jacob, ask to take Benjamin, discover the returned payment, and swear
by God to bring Benjamin back. Jacob expresses distrust based on Joseph’s earlier
loss, commits guardianship and judgment to God, and advises his sons to enter
the city by different gates.
language: English
quote_policy: quoted
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: Joseph's brethren come into his presence for provisions; Joseph recognizes
them, but they do not recognize him.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: Joseph tells the brothers to bring the brother who is the son of their father
and warns that no corn will be measured for them if they do not bring him.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:3
text: Joseph orders his servants to put the payment for corn back into the brothers'
sacks so that they may notice it after returning to their family.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:4
text: The brothers tell their father that further corn will be forbidden unless
Benjamin accompanies them, and they promise to guard him.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:5
text: Jacob compares the request to his earlier entrusting of Joseph to the brothers
and states that God is the best guardian and most merciful.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:6
text: When the brothers open their provisions, they find their money returned and
use this as part of their argument for returning to obtain corn.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:7
text: Jacob requires a solemn promise sworn by God that the brothers will bring
Benjamin back unless prevented by an unavoidable impediment.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:8
text: Jacob advises his sons not to enter the city by one gate but by different
gates, while saying that the precaution cannot prevail against God's decree.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:9
text: A note describes Joseph as governing wisely during years of plenty and famine
and says surrounding peoples came to Egypt for corn.
category: other
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Joseph
description: A figure in authority who furnishes provisions, recognizes his brothers,
requires Benjamin to be brought, and orders payment placed in the brothers' sacks.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:2
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:9
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Joseph's brethren
description: The brothers come to Joseph for corn, fail to recognize him, return
to Jacob, and seek permission to take Benjamin.
role_refs:
- role:4
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
- ev:6
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Benjamin
description: The brother whom Joseph requires the others to bring and whom Jacob
is reluctant to entrust to them.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:4
- ev:7
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Jacob
description: The father of the brothers; he distrusts the request, invokes God as
guardian, requires an oath, and advises entry by different gates.
role_refs:
- role:7
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: God
description: Named by Jacob as the best guardian, witness to the promise, and the
one to whom judgment belongs.
role_refs:
- role:9
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Joseph's servants
description: Servants whom Joseph instructs to put the brothers' payment back into
their sacks.
role_refs:
- role:10
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
roles:
- id: role:1
label: Recognizing but unrecognized brother
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Joseph knows his brothers while they do not know him.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:2
label: Provision-giver
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Joseph furnishes provisions and controls the measuring of corn.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:9
- id: role:3
label: Concealed tester
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Joseph requires the brothers to bring Benjamin and secretly returns their
payment in their sacks.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: role:4
label: Petitioners for food
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The brothers seek corn and provisions during the reported scarcity.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:9
- id: role:5
label: Oath-bound escorts
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: They swear by God to bring Benjamin back to Jacob unless prevented by an
unavoidable impediment.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: role:6
label: Required absent brother
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: Joseph makes future access to corn depend on Benjamin being brought.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:4
- id: role:7
label: Cautious father
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: Jacob is reluctant to entrust Benjamin to the brothers because Joseph had
earlier been entrusted to them.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: role:8
label: Oath-receiver and adviser
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: Jacob requires the oath and gives instructions about entering by different
gates.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: role:9
label: Divine guardian and judge
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: Jacob names God as guardian, witness, and the one to whom judgment belongs.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: role:10
label: Agents carrying out hidden act
assigned_to:
- fig:6
basis: Joseph commands them to place the brothers' payment in their sacks.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: Corn and provisions
literal_form: corn; provisions
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:4
- ev:6
- ev:9
- id: sym:2
label: Returned payment
literal_form: money or goods paid for corn, placed back in sacks
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:6
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:6
- id: sym:3
label: Sacks of provision
literal_form: sacks containing provisions and returned payment
associated_figures:
- fig:2
- fig:6
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:6
- id: sym:4
label: Solemn promise sworn by God
literal_form: oath or solemn promise invoking God
associated_figures:
- fig:2
- fig:4
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: sym:5
label: Different city gates
literal_form: separate gates into the city
associated_figures:
- fig:2
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: sym:6
label: Camel's burden
literal_form: an additional camel load of corn
associated_figures:
- fig:2
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Joseph receives his unrecognizing brothers
summary: Joseph's brothers enter his presence for provisions; he recognizes them,
but they do not recognize him.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: scene:2
label: Demand to bring Benjamin
summary: Joseph grants provisions but says the brothers must bring their brother
Benjamin, otherwise no corn will be measured for them and they may not approach
him.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: scene:3
label: Returned payment hidden in sacks
summary: Joseph directs his servants to place the payment for corn inside the brothers'
sacks so they will discover it after returning home.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:6
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: scene:4
label: Appeal to Jacob
summary: The brothers return to Jacob, report that no more corn will be measured
unless Benjamin accompanies them, and promise to guard him.
figure_refs:
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: scene:5
label: Discovery of the returned money and oath
summary: The brothers open their provisions, find their money returned, and Jacob
requires them to swear by God that they will bring Benjamin back.
figure_refs:
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
- sym:3
- sym:4
- sym:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: scene:6
label: Instruction about the gates and divine decree
summary: Jacob tells his sons to enter by different gates while acknowledging that
such precaution cannot alter God's decree and that judgment belongs to God alone.
figure_refs:
- fig:2
- fig:4
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: Recognized kin concealed from kin
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Joseph recognizes his brothers, while they do not recognize him, creating
an asymmetry of knowledge within a family encounter.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
confidence: high
cautions: No taxonomy reference from the provided list directly names this recognition
pattern.
- id: motif:2
label: Food access conditioned on bringing a missing family member
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Joseph withholds future corn unless the brothers bring Benjamin, making food
supply depend on the appearance of an absent brother.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:4
confidence: high
cautions: This is a passage-specific narrative pattern rather than a supplied taxonomy
category.
- id: motif:3
label: Hidden returned payment prompting return
taxonomy_refs:
- sacred_exchange
basis: Joseph secretly has the brothers' payment placed back in their sacks, and
its discovery becomes part of the brothers' argument for returning.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:6
confidence: medium
cautions: The taxonomy label 'sacred_exchange' is only a broad fit; the passage
presents a concealed economic act rather than explicitly sacred exchange.
- id: motif:4
label: Oath securing custody of a vulnerable kin member
taxonomy_refs:
- covenant
basis: Jacob requires a solemn promise sworn by God that Benjamin will be brought
back unless unavoidable circumstances intervene.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
confidence: medium
cautions: The oath is familial and situational; identifying it with the broader
covenant motif should be reviewed.
- id: motif:5
label: Human precaution subordinated to divine decree
taxonomy_refs:
- divine_judgment
basis: Jacob instructs his sons to enter by different gates but says the precaution
cannot avail against God's decree and that judgment belongs to God alone.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage speaks of judgment and decree, not a full judgment scene.
- id: motif:6
label: Wise ruler manages famine relief
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
basis: The note describes Joseph as governing with great wisdom during plenty and
famine and administering corn to inhabitants and neighboring peoples.
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
confidence: medium
cautions: This motif is drawn from the translator's note rather than the main translated
passage.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: quote
locator: lines 20565-20567
quote_or_summary: Joseph's brethren came to him; Joseph knew them, but they did
not know him.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-sale.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short excerpt used.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 20568-20575
quote_or_summary: Joseph furnishes provisions, asks the brothers to bring their
father’s son, and warns that no corn will be measured for them if they do not
bring him.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-sale.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: lines 20576-20579
quote_or_summary: Joseph tells his servants to put the payment for corn into the
brothers' sacks so they will perceive it after returning to their family.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-sale.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: lines 20580-20585
quote_or_summary: The brothers return to their father and say no more corn will
be measured unless Benjamin goes with them; they promise to guard him.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-sale.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: lines 20586-20589
quote_or_summary: Jacob asks whether he should trust them with Benjamin as he had
trusted them with Joseph, and says God is the best guardian and most merciful.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-sale.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: lines 20590-20596
quote_or_summary: The brothers open their provision, find their money returned,
and argue that they should return for corn and receive an additional camel's burden.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-sale.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: lines 20597-20601
quote_or_summary: Jacob will not send Benjamin until the brothers give a solemn
promise and swear by God to bring him back unless prevented; God is witness to
what they say.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-sale.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:8
type: summary
locator: lines 20602-20607
quote_or_summary: Jacob tells his sons to enter the city by different gates, but
says this precaution cannot help against God's decree; judgment belongs to God
alone.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-sale.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:9
type: summary
locator: lines 20608-20634, note k
quote_or_summary: The note says Joseph governed wisely, administered justice, encouraged
agriculture, managed the famine, and that people from Egypt, Syria, neighboring
countries, and Canaan came for corn.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-sale.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: uncertain
notes: Main narrative extraction is direct. Some motif labels are broad and should
be reviewed against project taxonomy. No comparison claims were added because
the passage itself does not explicitly support a comparative assertion beyond
its own narrative and notes.
reviewer_status:
status: needs_review
reviewer: ''
reviewed_at: ''
notes: Machine-generated draft from OpenAI Batch; not human-reviewed.
extracted_by: openai_batch:gpt-5.5
extracted_at: '2026-04-28'
notes: |-
Footnotes were treated as part of the supplied passage but distinguished from the main translated narrative where relevant.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:islamic-koran-sale-gutenberg__l20565-l20642
passage_sha256=ffd236c383bedc4522fb898918423d8b8bd7240c0956046a68707fd0da65d370