قَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ ءَامَنتُم بِهِۦ قَبْلَ أَنْ ءَاذَنَ لَكُمْ ۖ إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَمَكْرٌ مَّكَرْتُمُوهُ فِى ٱلْمَدِينَةِ لِتُخْرِجُوا۟ مِنْهَآ أَهْلَهَا ۖ فَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ
20:72; 26:50.
Commentary:
The sudden change in the magicians, brought about by the powerful hand of God, gave rise to doubts and misgivings in the mind of Pharaoh; or it may be, he simply used it as an excuse to hide his own discomfiture.
By the words "its inhabitants" are here meant Pharaoh’s people, who, however, were not the real inhabitants of Egypt, having wrested the country from the sons of the soil.
The Bible also agrees with the Quran in saying that the magicians became believers in Moses (Exod. 8:19), with the difference that whereas, according to the Quran, the magicians became believers on the spot immediately after witnessing this miracle of Moses, according to the Bible, they believed in Moses sometime later. The Quranic account is certainly more natural.
20:72; 26:50.
The words "its inhabitants" here signify Pharaoh’s own people, who, however, were not the real inhabitants of Egypt, having wrested the country from the sons of the soil.