The Holy Quran 7:160 — Surah Al-A'raf

Arabic text

وَقَطَّعْنَـٰهُمُ ٱثْنَتَىْ عَشْرَةَ أَسْبَاطًا أُمَمًا ۚ وَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰٓ إِذِ ٱسْتَسْقَىٰهُ قَوْمُهُۥٓ أَنِ ٱضْرِب بِّعَصَاكَ ٱلْحَجَرَ ۖ فَٱنۢبَجَسَتْ مِنْهُ ٱثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ عَيْنًا ۖ قَدْ عَلِمَ كُلُّ أُنَاسٍ مَّشْرَبَهُمْ ۚ وَظَلَّلْنَا عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْغَمَـٰمَ وَأَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْمَنَّ وَٱلسَّلْوَىٰ ۖ كُلُوا۟ مِن طَيِّبَـٰتِ مَا رَزَقْنَـٰكُمْ ۚ وَمَا ظَلَمُونَا وَلَـٰكِن كَانُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ

Translation

We divided them (the Bani Israa'eel) into twelve tribes, (who behaved as) separate nations (each having their own leader so that they could govern their own affairs). When Moosa عليه الصلاة والسلام requested water for his people, We sent revelation to him saying, “Strike the rock with your staff!" So (when he struck the rock) twelve springs gushed forth from it and each tribe knew their place of drinking. We shaded them with the clouds (as they wandered lost) and sent to them Manna and Salwaa (to eat). (Allaah instructed them,) "Eat from the pure things that We have provided for you." They did not oppress Us but oppressed their own souls (by their wrong doing because they would suffer the consequences).

Tafsir (excerpt) — Tafsir Usmani

The twelve tribes of the Children of Israel: that is, for the sake of order and administration, their twelve groups, who were the descendants of twelve forefathers, were set apart from one another. Then over each group a naqib (overseer and chief)

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