[223] The commentators pretend that Gabriel also clothed him in the well with a garment of silk of Paradise. For they say that when Abraham was thrown into the fire by Nimrod, he was stripped; and that Gabriel brought him this garment and put it on him; and that from Abraham it descended to Jacob, who folded it up and put it into an amulet, which he hung about Joseph’s neck, whence Gabriel drew it out.—S. (B., Z.) [224] These races they used by way of exercise; and the commentators generally understand here that kind of race wherein they also showed their dexterity in throwing darts, which is still used in the East.—S. [225] This Jacob had reason to suspect, because when the garment was brought to him, he observed that, though it was bloody, yet it was not torn.—S. (B.) [226] Three days after Joseph had been thrown into it.—S. [227] The commentators are so exact as to give us the name of this man, who as they pretend, was Málik Ibn-Doạr, of the tribe of Khuzá´ah.—S. (B.) [228] The expositors are not agreed whether the pronoun _they_ relates to Málik and his companions, or to Joseph’s brethren. They who espouse the former opinion say that those who came to draw water concealed the manner of their coming by him from the rest of the caravan, that they might keep him to themselves; pretending that some people of the place had given him to them to sell for them in Egypt. And they who prefer the latter opinion tell us that Judah carried victuals to Joseph every day while he was in the well; but not finding him there on the fourth day, he acquainted his brothers with it: whereupon they all went to the caravan and claimed Joseph as their slave, he not daring to discover that he was their brother, lest something worse should befall him; and at length they agreed to sell him to them.—S. (B.) [229] A corruption of Potiphar. He was a man of great consideration, being superintendent of the royal treasury.—S. (B.) [230] That is, to Ḳiṭfeer and his friends. The occasion of Joseph’s imprisonment is said to be either that they suspected him to be guilty notwithstanding the proofs which had been given of his innocence, or else that Zeleekha desired it, feigning, to deceive her husband, that she wanted to have Joseph removed from her sight till she could conquer her passion by time; though her real design was to force him to compliance.—S. [231] According to the explication of some who take the pronoun _him_ to relate to Joseph, this passage may be rendered, ‘But the devil caused him (_i.e._, Joseph) to forget to make his application unto his lord;’ and to beg the good offices of his fellow-prisoner for his deliverance, instead of relying on God alone, as it became a prophet, especially, to have done.—S. (B.)