Surah Ghafir Tafseer

فَلَمَّا جَاءهُم بِالْحَقِّ مِنْ عِندِنَا ق

Then, when he brought them the Truth from Us,

means, with definite evidence that Allah had sent him to them,

الُوا اقْتُلُوا أَبْنَاء الَّذِينَ امَنُوا مَعَهُ وَاسْتَحْيُوا نِسَاءهُمْ

they said:"Kill with him the sons of those who believe and let their women live;"

This was a second command from Fir`awn to kill the males of the Children of Israel. The first command had been as a precaution against the emergence of a man like Musa, or an act intended to humiliate this people or reduce their numbers or both. The second command was for the second reason, to humiliate the people so that they would regard Musa as a bad omen. they said:

أُوذِينَا مِن قَبْلِ أَن تَأْتِيَنَا وَمِن بَعْدِ مَا جِيْتَنَا قَالَ عَسَى رَبُّكُمْ أَن يُهْلِكَ عَدُوَّكُمْ وَيَسْتَخْلِفَكُمْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ فَيَنظُرَ كَيْفَ تَعْمَلُونَ

"We (Children of Israel) had suffered troubles before you came to us, and since you have come to us."

He said:"It may be that your Lord will destroy your enemy and make you successors on the earth, so that He may see how you act." (7:129)

Qatadah said, this was one command after another.

وَمَا كَيْدُ الْكَافِرِينَ إِلاَّ فِي ضَلَلٍ

but the plots of disbelievers are nothing but in vain!

means, their schemes and intentions -- to reduce the numbers of the Children of Israel lest they prevail over them -- were doomed to failure