The fourth interpretation:

8799 - It was mentioned from Mu'awiyah ibn Hisham, from Sufyan, from 'Abd al-'Aziz ibn Rufay', from Abu Thumamah, who said: The magicians of Pharaoh were seventeen thousand.

The fifth interpretation:

8800 - Abu Zur'ah told us, 'Amr ibn Hammad ibn Talhah told us, Asbat told us, from al-Suddi, who said: There were thirty-some thousand magicians, and there was not a man among them who did not have a rope or a staff with him.

His saying, the Almighty: "That we may have a reward if we are the victors."

8801 - And 'Ammar ibn Khalid al-Wasiti told us, Muhammad ibn al-Hasan and Yazid ibn Harun told us, from Asbagh ibn Zayd, from al-Qasim ibn Abi Ayyub, Sa'id ibn Jubayr told me, from Ibn 'Abbas: When they refused Pharaoh, they said: How does this magician work? They said: His work is with snakes. They said: Then, by Allah, there is no one on earth who works with magic using snakes, ropes, and staves as we do. So what is our reward if we win? He said: So he said to them: You are my relatives and my inner circle, and I will do for you as you desire.

His saying, the Almighty: "They said, 'O Moses, either you throw, or we will be the ones who throw.'"

8802 - And by the same chain, from Ibn 'Abbas, he said: The day on which Allah caused Moses to prevail over the magicians and Pharaoh was the day of 'Ashura. When they gathered on the elevated ground, some of the people said to others: Let us go and witness this matter, and we will follow the magicians if they are the victors—meaning by that Moses and Aaron (peace be upon them both), mocking them. They said: "O Moses"—due to their ability through their magic—"either you throw, or we will be the ones who throw." He said: "Throw."... So they threw their ropes and their staves and said: "By the might of Pharaoh, we are indeed the victors." Moses perceived within himself a fear from their magic, so Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, revealed to him to cast his staff.

His saying, the Almighty: "And We revealed to Moses, 'Throw your staff.'"

8803 - And by the same chain, from Ibn 'Abbas regarding His saying: "And We revealed to Moses, 'Throw your staff,'" he said: So Allah revealed to him to cast the staff. When he cast it, it became a great serpent with its mouth agape.