Tafseer Ibn Kathir of ASY SYU'ARAA' [29]

29. He said: ”If you choose a god other than me, I will certainly put you among the prisoners.'' 30. He said: ”Even if I bring you something manifest'' 31. He said: ”Bring it forth then, if you are of the truthful!'' 32. So he threw his stick, and behold, it was a serpent, manifest. 33. And he drew out his hand, and behold, it was white to all beholders! 34. He said to the chiefs around him: ”Verily, this is indeed a well-versed sorcerer.'' 35. ”He wants to drive you out of your land by his sorcery: what is it then that you command'' 36. They said: ”Put him off and his brother (for a while), and send callers to the cities;'' 37. ”To bring up to you every well-versed sorcerer.'' When proof had been established against Fir`awn, clearly and rationally, he resorted to using force against Musa, thinking that after this there would no further room for discussion. So he said:

(If you choose a god other than me, I will certainly put you among the prisoners.) To this, Musa responded:

(Even if I bring you something manifest) meaning, clear and definitive proof.

(Fir`awn said: ”Bring it forth then, if you are of the truthful!'' So he threw his stick, and behold, it was a serpent, manifest.) meanig, it was very clear and obvious, with a huge body and a big mouth, terrifying in appearance.

(And he drew out his hand,) meaning, from his sleeve,

(and behold, it was white to all beholders!) It was shining like a piece of the moon. Since Fir`awn was already doomed, he hastened to stubborn denial, and said to the chiefs around him:

(Verily, this is indeed a well-versed sorcerer.) One who knows a great deal of magic or witchcraft. Fir`awn was trying to convince them that this was sorcery, not a miracle. Then he provoked them against Musa, trying to make them oppose him and disbelieve in him, and said:

(He wants to drive you out of your land by his sorcery...) meaning, `he wants to capture the people's hearts and win them over by doing this, so that they will support him, and help him and follow him, and he will defeat you in your own land and take the land from you. So advise me, what should I do with him'

(They said: ”Put him off and his brother, and send callers to the cities; to bring up to you every well-versed sorcerer.'') meaning, `delay him and his brother until you gather together all the sorcerers from every city and region of your kingdom so that they may confront him and produce something like he produces, then you will defeat him and have the victory.' So Fir`awn did as they suggested, which is what Allah decreed would happen to them, so that all the people would gather in one place and the signs and proof of Allah would be made manifest before them all in one day.