The Quran

Preface

۞ فَلَمّا قَضىٰ موسَى الأَجَلَ وَسارَ بِأَهلِهِ آنَسَ مِن جانِبِ الطّورِ نارًا قالَ لِأَهلِهِ امكُثوا إِنّي آنَستُ نارًا لَعَلّي آتيكُم مِنها بِخَبَرٍ أَو جَذوَةٍ مِنَ النّارِ لَعَلَّكُم تَصطَلونَ

Yusuf Ali

Now when Moses had fulfilled the term, and was travelling¹ with his family, he perceived a fire in the direction of Mount Tur. He said to his family: “Tarry ye; I perceive a fire; I hope to bring you from there some information, or a burning firebrand, that ye may warm yourselves.”²

The episode in the desert, full of human interest, now closes, and we come to the threshold of the sacred Call to the divine ministry of Moses. Here we may compare this passage with that in 27:7-14 and previous passages. In this passage we are told, after reference to Moses’s preparation for his high destiny, of the particular sin of Arrogance and Sacrilege of which Pharaoh was guilty (28:38-39), how it was punished, and with what instruments in the hands of Moses and Pharaoh. The notes on the earlier passage should be read, as explanations already given need not now be repeated. (R).
Note how the transition is effected from the happy earthly life of Moses (with its previous earthly storm and stress) to the new spiritual storm and stress of his prophetic mission.