Al Shu‘arā’

وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَى مُوسَى أَنْ أَسْرِ بِعِبَادِي إِنَّكُم مُّتَّبَعُونَ

فَأَرْسَلَ فِرْعَوْنُ فِي الْمَدَائِنِ حَاشِرِينَ

52. “And We revealed unto Moses (saying): ‘Go you forth with My servants by night, for verily you will be pursued’.”
53. “Then Pharaoh sent heralds into the cites.”

Since the Children of Israel had provided Pharaoh some benefits, he barred them from migration and Moses (as) was ordered to move them from Egypt at night. In the previous holy verses we saw that Moses (as) was the victorious party in that day. Although Pharaoh and his supporters did not believe in him, this happening had some important consequences each of which were an important victory:

1. The Children of Israel achieved faith in their leader and they supported him by soul and body, for after years of misery, wretchedness and wandering they saw a divine prophet who both guaranteed their guidance and led their revolution, victory and freedom.

2. Moses (as) had gained a foothold among Egyptians and Coptic ones. Some had been under his influence, or, at least, they feared opposing him, and the sound of his call ringed out throughout Egypt.

3. More importantly from the view of both public opinion and fearing life exposing to danger, Pharaoh did not dare oppose a man who had such a staff and a very expressive language.

All of these affairs provided a proper ground for Moses (as) to remain among those people and to do propagation, call them after providing them proofs. In this way many years passed, and Moses (as) presented them some other miracles, which were mentioned in the commentaries of verses 13-135 of Surah Al-’A‘raf, No. 7 along with logic and discussion. Even Allah imposed drought and famine on Egyptians for some years in order to make awake those who deserved to be awaken.

When Moses (as) provided them proof and reason and believers and disbelievers were distinguished, the Children of Israel were commanded to migrate. The concerned verses depict the scene first. The Qur’an says:

This was the divine plan for them to move at night then the people of Pharaoh could become aware of this plan, and So to pursue the Children of Israel. 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:

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.