"A speaker among them said"—he is Reuben, according to the interpretation of Qatadah—"Do not kill Joseph, but throw him into the depths of the well," meaning: some of its recesses.
Muhammad said: Everything that hides something from you is a 'ghayabah' (depth/concealment), and likewise Yahya read it as: 'ghayabat al-jub' (the concealment of the well).
"Let some of the travelers pick him up," meaning: some of those who pass by on the road.
﴿قَالَ قَائِل مِنْهُم﴾ هُوَ رُوبِيلُ؛ فِي تَفْسِيرِ قَتَادَةَ ﴿لَا تَقْتُلُوا يُوسُفَ وَأَلْقُوهُ فِي غَيَابَاتِ الْجُبِّ﴾ أَيْ: بَعْضُ نَوَاحِيهَا.
قَالَ محمدٌ: كُلُّ شيءٍ غَيَّبَ عَنْكَ شَيْئًا فَهُوَ غَيَابَةٌ، وَكَذَلِكَ قَرَأَ يحيى (غيابة الْجب).
﴿يلتقطه بعض السيارة﴾ أَيْ: بَعْضُ مَنْ يَمُرُّ فِي الطَّرِيق.
