Tafsir Ibn Kathir -> Surah Al-Qasas -> How the Secret of this Killing became known

Allah tells us that when Musa killed that Coptic,

﴿فِى الْمَدِينَةِ خَآئِفاً﴾

(he became afraid in the city) meaning, of the consequences of his action,

﴿يَتَرَقَّبُ﴾

(looking about) means, turning around and watching out, waiting for the consequences of his action to befall him. He went out and about, and saw the man who sought his help the day before, fighting with another Coptic. When Musa passed by him, he called for his help again, against this other Coptic. Musa said to him:

﴿إِنَّكَ لَغَوِىٌّ مُّبِينٌ﴾

(Verily, you are a plain misleader!) meaning, `you obviously lead people astray and are very evil.' Then Musa intended to attack that Coptic, but the Israelite -- because of his own cowardice and weakness -- thought that Musa wanted to hit him because of what he had said, so he said, in self-defence --

﴿يمُوسَى أَتُرِيدُ أَن تَقْتُلَنِى كَمَا قَتَلْتَ نَفْساً بِالاٌّمْسِ﴾

(O Musa! Is it your intention to kill me as you killed a man yesterday) Nobody except him and Musa, peace be upon him, knew about it, but when the other Coptic heard this, he took the news to Fir`awn's gate and told him about it. So Fir`awn came to know of it, and he became very angry and resolved to kill Musa, so he sent people after him to bring him to him.

﴿وَجَآءَ رَجُلٌ مِّنْ أَقْصَى الْمَدِينَةِ يَسْعَى قَالَ يمُوسَى إِنَّ الْمَلاّ يَأْتَمِرُونَ بِكَ لِيَقْتُلُوكَ فَاخْرُجْ إِنِّى لَكَ مِنَ النَّـصِحِينَ ﴾

(20. And there came a man running, from the farthest end of the city. He said: "O Musa! Verily, the chiefs are taking counsel together about you, to kill you, so escape. Truly, I am one of the good advisers to you.'')

﴿وَجَآءَ رَجُلٌ﴾

(And there came a man) He is described as being a man because he had the courage to take a different route, a shorter route than those who were sent after Musa, so he reached Musa first and said to him: "O Musa,

﴿إِنَّ الْمَلاّ يَأْتَمِرُونَ بِكَ﴾

(Verily, the chiefs are taking counsel together about you.),'' meaning, `they are consulting with one another about you.'

﴿لِيَقْتُلُوكَ فَاخْرُجْ﴾

(to kill you, so escape.) means, from this land.

﴿إِنِّى لَكَ مِنَ النَّـصِحِينَ﴾

(Truly, I am one of the good advisers to you.)

﴿فَخَرَجَ مِنْهَا خَآئِفاً يَتَرَقَّبُ قَالَ رَبِّ نَجِّنِى مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّـلِمِينَ - وَلَمَّا تَوَجَّهَ تِلْقَآءَ مَدْيَنَ قَالَ عَسَى رَبِّى أَن يَهْدِيَنِى سَوَآءَ السَّبِيلِ - وَلَمَّا وَرَدَ مَآءَ مَدْيَنَ وَجَدَ عَلَيْهِ أُمَّةً مِّنَ النَّاسِ يَسْقُونَ وَوَجَدَ مِن دُونِهِمُ امْرَأَتَينِ تَذُودَانِ قَالَ مَا خَطْبُكُمَا قَالَتَا لاَ نَسْقِى حَتَّى يُصْدِرَ الرِّعَآءُ وَأَبُونَا شَيْخٌ كَبِيرٌ - فَسَقَى لَهُمَا ثُمَّ تَوَلَّى إِلَى الظِّلِّ فَقَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّى لِمَآ أَنزَلْتَ إِلَىَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌ ﴾

(21. So he escaped from there, looking about in a state of fear. He said: "My Lord! Save me from the people who are wrongdoers!'') (22. And when he went towards Madyan, he said: "It may be that my Lord guides me to the right way.'') (23. And when he arrived at the water of Madyan, he found there a group of men watering, and besides them he found two women who were keeping back (their flocks). He said: "What is the matter with you'' They said: "We cannot water (our flocks) until the shepherds take (their flocks). And our father is a very old man.'') (24. So he watered (their flocks) for them, then he turned back to shade, and said: "My Lord! Truly, I am in need of whatever good that You bestow on me!'')