﴿ قَالُوٓا۟ أُوذِينَا مِن قَبْلِ أَن تَأْتِيَنَا وَمِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا جِئْتَنَا ۚ قَالَ عَسَىٰ رَبُّكُمْ أَن يُهْلِكَ عَدُوَّكُمْ وَيَسْتَخْلِفَكُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَيَنظُرَ كَيْفَ تَعْمَلُونَ ﴾

“[But the children of Israel] said: "We have suffered hurt ere thou camest to us and since thou hast come to us!" [Moses] replied: "It may well be that your Sustainer will destroy your foe and make you inherit the earth: and thereupon he will behold how you act."”

(They said:) O Moses, (We suffered hurt) we were tormented by the killing of our sons, the use of our women and also by working (before thou camest unto us, and since thou hast come unto us) with the message. (He) Moses (said: it may be) the expression 'may be' ['asa] when used in relation to Allah denotes categoricalness (that your Lord is going to destroy your adversary) Pharaoh and by means of drought and hunger (and make you vicegerents in the earth) make you in the inhabitants of the land of Egypt, (that He may see how ye behave) with regard to obeying Him.