Tafsir of Ta-Ha 20:17-18

{And what is that in your right hand, O Moses?} It is like the Almighty’s saying: {And this, my husband, is an old man} (Hud: 72), in terms of the accusative state (hal) indicating a gesture. It is also possible that tilka (that) is a relative pronoun, with bi-yaminka (in your right hand) as its connective clause.

The Purpose of the Question He asked him only to show him the greatness of what He, the Almighty, would create in the dry wooden staff—transforming it into a slithering snake—and to establish in his mind the vast disparity between the object before and after the transformation, and to alert him to His overwhelming power.

An analogy for this is a blacksmith showing you a lump of iron and asking, "What is this?" You reply, "A lump of iron." Then, days later, he shows you a finely crafted coat of mail and says, "It is that same lump; I have transformed it into what you see of wondrous craftsmanship and elegant weaving."

Linguistic Notes

• 'Asay (عصاي): Ibn Abi Ishaq read it as 'usay (عصي), following the dialect of Hudhayl. Similar to {The winds are a herald of glad tidings} (Yusuf: 19), they intended to break the letter before the first-person pronoun but could not, so they changed the alif to match the kasra. Al-Hasan read it as 'asaya (عصاي) with a kasra on the ya to avoid the meeting of two quiescent letters, similar to Hamza’s reading of {my rescuer} (Ibrahim: 22). Ibn Abi Ishaq also reported a reading with a quiescent ya.
• {I lean upon it}: I rely on it when I am exhausted, or when I stop at the edge of the flock, or when jumping.
• {And I beat down leaves with it}: I strike them down onto the heads of my sheep so they may eat. (I heard this from more than one Arab). Nukhb is a valley near Ta'if abundant in lotus trees. In the reading of Al-Nakha'i: uhashshu (أهش). Both come from hashsha al-khubz (the bread is brittle), meaning it breaks due to its fragility.
• 'Ahissu (أهس): According to 'Ikrimah, with a sin, meaning: I drive them away by shouting at them. Hass is the driving of sheep.

Why Moses Detailed the Uses He mentioned the benefits of the staff in detail and summary as if he sensed the great matter God was about to bring forth. He said, "It is only a staff," possessing no benefits other than those of its kind, just as any stick is useful. He did this so his answer would correspond to the purpose he perceived from the implication of his Lord’s speech.

Alternatively, the Almighty may have intended for him to enumerate the many utilities he associated with the staff—to multiply and magnify them—only to then show him the great sign immediately after, as if saying: "Where are you in relation to this supreme benefit and major objective, compared to which every other benefit you counted and cared for is forgotten?"

Others said: He asked him to put him at ease and diminish his awe. Others said: Moses summarized so that He would ask him about those needs, thereby increasing his honor. Others said: His tongue was paralyzed by awe, so he summarized.

The Staff's Features It is said the name of the staff was Nab'ah. Regarding its uses: it had two prongs and a crook. If a branch was high, he would pull it down with the crook; if he needed to break it, he would twist it with the prongs. When walking, he would place it on his shoulder to hang his tools—bow, quiver, water skin, etc. In the wilderness, he would plant it, lay his cloak across the prongs for shade, and if his rope was short, he would extend it with the staff. He also fought off beasts of prey from his sheep with it.

It is also said that among its miracles: he would use it to draw water, and it would lengthen to the depth of the well, its prongs becoming a bucket. At night, they would act as two lamps. If an enemy appeared, it would fight for him. If he desired fruit, he would plant it, and it would sprout leaves and bear fruit. He would carry his provisions on it, and it would walk beside him. When he planted it, water would gush forth; when he lifted it, the water would recede. It also protected him from vermin.

{He said, "Throw it down, O Moses." * So he threw it down, and behold, it was a snake, slithering.}