consider, or will fear _God, and repent_. (_The_ [mere] _hope with respect to the two_ [results is expressed] _because of God’s knowledge that he would not repent._)—They replied, O our Lord, verily we fear that he may be precipitately violent against us, _hastening to punish us_, or that he may act with exceeding injustice _towards us_. He said, Fear ye not; for I am with you: I will hear and will see. Therefore go ye unto him, and say, Verily we are the apostles of thy Lord: therefore send with us the children of Israel _unto Syria_, and do not afflict them, _but cease to employ them in thy difficult works, such as digging and building and carrying the heavy burden_. We have come unto thee with a sign from thy Lord, _attesting our veracity in asserting ourselves apostles_: and peace be on him who followeth the right direction:—_that is, he shall be secure from punishment_. Verily it hath been revealed unto us that punishment [shall be inflicted] upon him who chargeth with falsehood _that wherewith we have come_, and turneth away _from it_. (xx. 8-50.) Then We sent after them, _namely the apostles before mentioned_ [who were Sho´eyb and his predecessors], Moses, with Our signs unto Pharaoh and his nobles, and they acted unjustly with respect to them, _disbelieving in the signs_: but see what was the end of the corrupt doers. And Moses said, O Pharaoh, verily I am an apostle from the Lord of the worlds _unto thee_. _But he charged him with falsehood: so he said, I am_ right not to say of God aught but the truth. I have come unto you with a proof from your Lord: therefore send with me _to Syria_ the children of Israel.—_Pharaoh_ said _unto him_, If thou hast come with a sign _confirmatory of thy pretension_, produce it, if thou be of those who speak truth, So he cast down his rod; and lo, it was a manifest serpent.[271] And he drew forth his hand _from his bosom_; and lo, it was white _and radiant_ unto the beholders.[272] The nobles of the people of Pharaoh said, Verily this is a knowing enchanter: he desireth to expel you from your land. What then do ye command?—They answered, Put off for a time him and his brother, and send unto the cities collectors [of the inhabitants], that they may bring unto thee every knowing enchanter. And the enchanters came unto Pharaoh. They said, Shall we surely have a reward if we be the party who overcome? He answered, Yea; and verily ye shall be of those who are admitted near [unto my person]. They said, O Moses, either do thou cast down _thy rod_, or we will cast down _what we have with us_. He replied, Cast ye. And when they cast down _their cords and their rods_, they enchanted the eyes of the men, _diverting them from the true perception of them_; and they terrified them; _for they imagined them to be serpents running_; and they performed a great enchantment.[273] And We spake by revelation unto Moses, [saying,] Cast down thy rod. And lo, it swallowed up what they had caused to appear changed.[274]