Wa-inna lajameeAAun hathiroon (surah Shuara: 56)

Tafseer Tafheem-ul-Quran by Syed Abu-al-A'la Maududi

(26:56) and we are a host who are always on our guard. " *43

Wa innaa lajamee`un haaziroon

*43) All this shows that Pharaoh in fact was terror-stricken, but was trying to hide his fear under cover of fearlessness. On the one hand, he was mobilizing forces to face the situation; on the other, he wanted to show that he was undaunted and undeterred, for a despotic ruler like Pharaoh could have no danger from a suppressed and slave community which had been living in disgrace for centuries. That is why his heralds made the people believe that the Israelites were just a handful of people, who could do them no harm, but had to be punished for the provocation they had caused. As for mobilization it was only a precautionary measure which had been taken to meet any eventuality in time.