Sura 20, Ta ha (O Man). Mecca 45

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَلَقَدْ أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَى مُوسَى أَنْ أَسْرِ بِعِبَادِي...   

20: 77.  We sent an inspiration to Moses:

"Travel by night with my servants,

C2599. Time passes, and at last Moses is commanded to leave Egypt with his people by night. They were to cross the Red Sea into the Sinai Peninsula. They were told to have no fear of Pharaoh or of the sea or of the unknown desert country of Sinai into which they were going.

They crossed dry-shod, while Pharaoh who came in pursuit with his troops was overwhelmed by the sea. He and his men all perished.

There is no emphasis on this episode here. But the emphasis is laid on the hard task which Moses had with his own people after he had delivered them from the Egyptian bondage.

...فَاضْرِبْ لَهُمْ طَرِيقًا فِي الْبَحْرِ يَبَسًا...

and strike a dry path for them through the sea,

...لَّا تَخَافُ دَرَكًا وَلَا تَخْشَى ﴿٧٧﴾

without fear of being overtaken (by Pharaoh), and without (any other) fear."

فَأَتْبَعَهُمْ فِرْعَوْنُ بِجُنُودِهِ فَغَشِيَهُم مِّنَ الْيَمِّ مَا غَشِيَهُمْ ﴿٧٨﴾

20: 78.  Then Pharaoh pursued them with his forces, but the waters completely overwhelmed them and covered them up.

وَأَضَلَّ فِرْعَوْنُ قَوْمَهُ وَمَا هَدَى ﴿٧٩﴾

20: 79.  Pharaoh led his people astray instead of leading them aright.

C2600. It is the duty of kings and leaders to give the right lead of their people. Instead of that, the evil ones among them lead them astray and are the cause of the whole of the people perishing.

يَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ قَدْ أَنجَيْنَاكُم مِّنْ عَدُوِّكُمْ...   

20: 80.  O ye Children of Israel!

We delivered you from your enemy,

...وَوَاعَدْنَاكُمْ جَانِبَ الطُّورِ الْأَيْمَنَ...

and We made a Covenant with you on the right side of Mount (Sinai),

C2601. Right side: Cf. 19:52, and n. 2504, towards the end.

The Arabian side of Sinai (Jabal Musa) was the place where Moses first received his commission before going to Egypt, and also where he received the Torah after the Exodus from Egypt.

...وَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَنَّ وَالسَّلْوَى ﴿٨٠﴾

and We sent down to you Manna and quails:

Asad’s Version:

20:77

AND, INDEED, [a time came 60 when] We thus inspired Moses: "Go forth with My servants by night, and strike out for them a dry path through the sea; [and] fear not of being overtaken, and dread not [the sea].""

20:78

And Pharaoh pursued them with his hosts: and they were overwhelmed by the sea which was destined to overwhelm them"

20:79 because Pharaoh had led his people astray and had not

guided [them] aright.

20:80

O children of Israel! [Thus] We saved you from your enemy, and [then] We made a covenant with you on the right-hand slope of Mount Sinai, 63 and repeatedly sent down manna and quails unto you, [saying,]

[[ Asad’s notes:

60 I.e., after all the trials which the Israelites had to undergo in Egypt, and after the plagues with which Pharaoh and his followers were afflicted (cf. 7:130 ff).

61 Referring to the phrase "strike out (idrib) for them a dry path through the sea", Tabari explains it as meaning "choose (ittakhidh) for them a dry path". See also 26:63-66 and the corresponding notes 33 and 35.

62 Lit., "there overwhelmed them [that] of the sea which overwhelmed them" - expressing the inevitability of the doom which encompassed them.

63 See note 38 on 19:52. As regards God's "covenant" with the children of Israel, see 2:63 and 83. ]]