"And they concealed their private counsel," meaning: they hid the speech. The sorcerers said: If this man is a sorcerer, then we will surely defeat him; and if he is from heaven as he claims, then he has a matter [of importance].
﴿وأسروا النَّجْوَى﴾ أَخْفُوُا الْكَلَامَ، قَالَتِ السَّحَرَةُ: إِنْ كَانَ هَذَا الرَّجُلُ سَاحِرًا؛ فَإِنَّا سَنَغْلِبُهُ، وَإِنْ يَكُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ كَمَا زعم فَلهُ أَمر.
