﴿ ۞ وَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنْ أَسْرِ بِعِبَادِىٓ إِنَّكُم مُّتَّبَعُونَ ﴾

“AND [there came a time when] We inspired Moses thus: “Go forth with My servants by night: for, behold, you will he pursued!””

And We revealed to Moses after many years which he spent among them calling them to the truth with God’s signs but all of which only increased them in insolence saying ‘Journey with My servants the Children of Israel by night a variant reading for an asri is an isr from the verb sarā one form of asrā go with them by night in the direction of the sea for indeed you will be pursued’. Pharaoh and his armies will pursue you but when they enter the sea in pursuit of you I will deliver you and drown them.