He said, "Indeed, I wish to marry you one of these two daughters of mine."

This is an explanatory resumption, as if it were said: "What did her father say after he heard her words?" So it was said: "He said, 'Indeed, I wish...'" The emphasis of the sentence serves to express the increased desire for what the sentence entails. In his words, "these two," there is an indication that he had other daughters besides these two. Ibn al-Mundhir recorded from Mujahid that he had four other young daughters. Al-Biqa'i said he had seven daughters, as is in the Torah, and we have previously mentioned this. In al-Kashshaf, it is stated that there is evidence for this.

It was objected that there is no indication of what was mentioned, as it would suffice—regarding the need for the demonstrative—that the addressee (Moses) did not know he had others. This was countered by the fact that, in that case, the definite genitive (i.e., just saying "my daughters") would have sufficed, and there would be no need for the demonstrative. Thus, this implies that the addressee also had knowledge of others known to him, and the demonstrative only serves to exclude any desire for the other two daughters known to him from among them. Al-Khafaji spoke well when he said: "There is no room for argument here, for something like this is a flower that cannot withstand being crushed."

Warsh and Ahmad ibn Musa reported from Abu 'Amr the reading: "Ankihuka ihda" (marry you one) by omitting the hamza.

His saying, "On condition that you serve me for eight years," is in the position of a state (hal) from the object of "I marry you"; meaning, it is a condition placed upon him, or an obligation, or similar. It is also permissible for it to be a state from its subject; this was stated by Abu al-Baqa'. "Ta'juruni" (that you serve me) comes from "ajartuhu" (I hired him/I served him), meaning "I was a worker for him," just as you say "abawtuhu" (I acted as a father to him), meaning "I was a father to him." In this sense, it takes one object. His saying, "eight years," is an adverb of time for it. It is also possible that "ta'juruni" means "to reward me" (from ajrahu), meaning "he rewarded him," in which case it takes two objects—the second of which here is "eight years." The speech involves an elided genitive (mudaf) with the mudaf ilayh standing in its place; meaning, "that you reward me for the duration of eight years," i.e., that you make that my reward and wage for the marriage. By this, he means the dowry.

Based on this meaning, it is also permissible for it to be an adverb for "ta'juruni" by eliding the object, meaning: "you compensate me for your service or work in eight years." It is reported from al-Mubarrad that it is said: "ajartu" (hired/served), non-elongated, and "ajartu" (hired), elongated, and the former is more common. Thus, it takes two objects, with the second object being elided, and the meaning being "that you hire out your self to me." It sometimes takes one object directly, and the second by way of the particle min (from), as in "I hired the house from 'Amr." The position of the majority is that there is no difference between ajara (elongated) and ajara (non-elongated). Al-Raghib said: "It is said 'ajarta Zaidan' (you served Zaid) if the action of one of them is considered, and 'ajartahu' if the actions of both are considered." Both return to the same meaning. It is also said, as in al-Qamus, "ajartuhu ajran" and "ajartuhu i'jaran wa mu'ajaran."

In Tuhfat al-Muhtaj, it is stated: ajartuhu (with elongation) means i'jaran, and ajartuhu (with short vowel) means ajran. It also states that al-ijara (with the triple hamza and the kasra being the most eloquent) is a noun for the wage, then it became renowned for the contract. "Hujaj" is the plural of hijjah, meaning a year.

"If you complete ten," in service and work, "it is from you," meaning it is from you by way of grace, not from me by way of obligation. "And I do not wish to be hard on you" by obligating the completion of the ten, or by scrutinizing the observance of times and the fulfilling of works. The derivation of "mashaqqa" (hardship)—which is what is difficult to bear—is from "shaqq" (splitting), the opening of the shin (i.e., shaqq), which is separating a thing into two halves, for that which is difficult upon you splits your opinion regarding the matter due to your hesitation in bearing it or not.

"You will find me, God willing, of the righteous," in good treatment, gentleness, and fulfillment of the covenant. By the exception (God willing), Shu'ayb (peace be upon him) intends to seek blessing and to entrust his affair to the guidance of the Almighty, not to condition his righteousness on His (Exalted be He) will—in the sense that if God wills, he will act righteously, and if He wills, He will act otherwise—for that does not befit the station. It is said: Because his righteousness is confirmed, there is no meaning to the conditional suspension. Similar is the saying of al-Shafi'i: "I am a believer, if God wills."