His saying, the Exalted: "Slaughtering their sons."

16672 - Abu Zur'ah narrated to us: 'Amr ibn Hammad ibn Talhah narrated to us: Asbat narrated to us, from al-Suddi regarding His saying: "Slaughtering their sons," meaning he mandated that no male born to the Children of Israel would be born without being slaughtered, so the young ones would not grow up. Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, cast death among the elders of the Children of Israel, and it accelerated among them. The leaders of the Copts entered upon Pharaoh and spoke to him, saying: "These people have been struck by death, and it is imminent that the work will fall upon our boys. We are slaughtering their sons, so the young ones are not reaching maturity to assist the elders. If you were to spare some of their offspring..." So he ordered that they slaughter one year and leave them for one year. When it came to the year in which they would slaughter, she became pregnant with Moses, and when she wanted to deliver him, she was grieved on his account.

His saying, the Exalted: "And sparing their women."

16673 - Muhammad ibn Yahya narrated to us, al-'Abbas ibn al-Walid informed us: Yazid ibn Zuray' narrated to us: Sa'id narrated to us, from Qatadah regarding His saying: "Slaughtering their sons and sparing their women." It was mentioned to us that a hazi (soothsayer) cast lots for Pharaoh—Ibn 'Abbas said: The hazi is the astrologer—and said to him: "A boy will be born this year from the Children of Israel who will strip you of your kingdom." So he began to pursue their sons that year, killing their sons and sparing their women, out of caution regarding what the soothsayer had told him.

His saying, the Exalted: "Indeed, he was of the corrupters."

16674 - 'Ali ibn al-Husayn narrated to us: Muhammad ibn 'Isa narrated to us: Salamah narrated to us, from Ibn Ishaq, from 'Abd Allah ibn Abi Najih, from Mujahid who said: It was mentioned to me that he would order reeds to be split until they were made like blades. Then he would line them up one against the other. Then, pregnant women from the Children of Israel would be brought and made to stand upon them, and he would sever their feet until a woman among them would be in labor with her child, and it would fall between her legs. She would keep stepping on it and protecting herself with it from the sharpness of the reeds against her legs, due to the extremity of her distress. He went to such lengths in this that he nearly annihilated them. It was said to him: "You have annihilated the people and cut off the lineage, yet they are your servants and workers." So he ordered that the boys be killed one year and spared one year. Thus, Aaron, peace be upon him, was born in the year in which the boys were spared, and Moses, peace be upon him, was born in the year in which they were slaughtered. And Aaron was one year older than him.