ﲺ ﲻ ﲼ ﲽ ﲾ ﲿ ﳀ ﳁ ﳂ ﳃ ﳄ ﳅ ﳆ ﳇ ﳈ ﳉ ﳊ ﳋ ﳌ ﳍ
And when he brought them the truth from Us, they said, "Kill the sons of those who have believed with him and keep their women alive." But the plan of the disbelievers is not except in error.
Tafsir
Verse range: 40:25
فلما جاءهم بالحق من عندنا ق
Then, when he brought them the Truth from Us, means, with definite evidence that Allah had sent him to them,
الوا اقتلوا أبناء الذين آمنوا معه واستحيوا نساءهم
they said: "Kill with him the sons of those who believe and let their women live;" This was a second command from Fir`awn to kill the males of the Children of Israel. The first command had been as a precaution against the emergence of a man like Musa, or an act intended to humiliate this people or reduce their numbers or both. The second command was for the second reason, to humiliate the people so that they would regard Musa as a bad omen. they said:
أوذينا من قبل أن تٲتينا ومن بعد ما جيتنا قال عسى ربكم أن يهلك عدوكم ويستخلفكم فى اﻻرض فينظر كيف تعملون
"We (Children of Israel) had suffered troubles before you came to us, and since you have come to us.'' He said: "It may be that your Lord will destroy your enemy and make you successors on the earth, so that He may see how you act.'' (7:129) Qatadah said, this was one command after another.
وما كيد الكافرين إﻻ في ضﻼل
but the plots of disbelievers are nothing but in vain! means, their schemes and intentions -- to reduce the numbers of the Children of Israel lest they prevail over them -- were doomed to failure
