فَإِن لَم تَأتوني بِهِ فَلا كَيلَ لَكُم عِندي وَلا تَقرَبونِ

But if you do not bring him to me, then there will be no rations for you with me, and don’t [ever] come near me.’

EXEGESIS

Kayl (rations) was discussed in the previous verse. Here it means that they will be denied the opportunity to purchase their allotted portion of food.

EXPOSITION

If the brothers would not bring the youngest Benjamin to be identified, then they would be deemed as liars and cheats, and they would not be allowed to buy any more provisions in the remaining years of drought and would be cut off.

Of course, all of this was simply a plan of Prophet Joseph (a) to get his brother Benjamin to come to Egypt. Literally, the expression lā taqrabūn (and don’t [ever] come near me), is not a command but a declaration; it means that they will not be granted access to Prophet Joseph (a), nor entry to any of the royal buildings, or access to the services that these provide.