Tafsir of Az-Zukhruf 43:49

وقالوا

And they said (to Musa): Every time one of these signs came to them, they would go and implore Musa, saying,

يا أيها الساحر

"O you sorcerer!...'' meaning, expert or knowledgeable one -- this was the view of Ibn Jarir. The scholars of that time were the sorcerers or magicians, and magic was not regarded as something reprehensible by them at that time, so this was not a slight on their part. They were in a state of need, so it would not have been appropriate for them to insult him. This was a way of honoring him, as they thought.

ادع لنا ربك بما عهد عندك إننا لمهتدون

فلما كشفنا عنهم العذاب إذا هم ينكثون