In spite of the fact that the Qur’anic phrase /auhayna/ (we...

In spite of the fact that the Qur’anic phrase /auhayna/ (we revealed) has come before the word /’ibadi/ (My servants) , which is in plural form, this word, /‘ibadi/ is for showing the ultimate kindness of Allah towards His faithful servants. Moses (as) obeyed this commandment and mobilized the Children of Israel by night in secret and issued the command of migration. He especially chose night, as Allah had ordered, to make his plan more exact and calculated.

It is clear that the movement of such a huge group of people could not be kept hidden for a long time. Pharaoh’s spies did inform him very soon. The holy Qur’an says: “Then Pharaoh sent heralds into the cities.” Of course, in the conditions of that time delivering the message to all cities of Egypt needed considerable time, but it is natural that this message reached to near cities very fast, and the ready forces moved immediately and they formed a small army.

Other forces also joined them gradually. Surah Ash-Shu‘ara - Verses 54-56 إِنَّ هَؤُلاَء لَشِرْذِمَةٌ قَلِيلُونَ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَنَا لَغَائِظُونَ وَإِنَّا لَجَمِيعٌ حَاذِرُونَ 54. “Verily these (Israelites) are only a small group,” 55. “And verily they have enraged us.” 56. “And verily we are a host on our guard.” The Qur’anic word /šir immah/ means a limited group which is separated from the main.[^1] Pharaoh propagated that his opponents were a small group.

But in some commentaries we read that it is narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas that those who were with Moses (as) were about 600000 and Pharaoh called these many people as ‘a little troop’. He said: “Verily these (Israelites) are only a small group,” To make people psychologically ready for this general mobilization, Pharaoh ordered his own men to declare this announcement that his opponents were a small group.

(He meant they are quantitatively less than Pharaoh's men and less powerful than them.) So they said to themselves that, with their strong power, there was no problem and nothing to fear of and they could certainly be victorious. In the next verse, they implicitly said that how much they could be patient, and in what extent they might conciliate with those rebellious slaves.

It says: “And verily they have enraged us.” Pharaoh’s men could not tolerate them (slaves) anymore, yet they said: Who would irrigate farms of Egypt the following days? Who would mend the houses of Pharaoh’s men? Who would carry heavy things in this vast country? Who would be servant of the men of Pharaoh?

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