Moses replied, “I did it then, lacking guidance.
26:20
So I fled from you when I feared you. Then my Lord granted me wisdom and made me one of the messengers.
26:21
How can that be a ‘favour,’ of which you remind me, when ˹it was only because˺ you ˹have˺ enslaved the Children of Israel?”
26:22
Pharaoh asked, “And what is ‘the Lord of all worlds’?”
26:23
Moses replied, “˹He is˺ the Lord of the heavens and the earth and everything in between, if only you had sure faith.”
26:24
Pharaoh said to those around him, “Did you hear ˹what he said˺?”
26:25
Moses added, “˹He is˺ your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers.”
26:26
Pharaoh said ˹mockingly˺, “Your messenger, who has been sent to you, must be insane.”
26:27
Moses responded: “˹He is˺ the Lord of the east and west, and everything in between, if only you had any sense.”
26:28
Pharaoh threatened, “If you take any other god besides me, I will certainly have you imprisoned.”
26:29
Moses responded, “Even if I bring you a clear proof?”
26:30
Pharaoh demanded, “Bring it then, if what you say is true.”
26:31
So he threw down his staff and—behold!—it became a real snake.
26:32
Then he drew his hand ˹out of his collar˺ and it was ˹shining˺ white for all to see.
26:33
Pharaoh said to the chiefs around him, “He is indeed a skilled magician,
26:34
who seeks to drive you from your land by his magic. So what do you propose?”
26:35
They replied, “Let him and his brother wait and dispatch mobilizers to all cities
26:36
to bring you every skilled magician.”
26:37
So the magicians were assembled at the set time on the appointed day.
26:38
And the people were asked, “Will you join the gathering,
26:39