Moses (PBUH) Chose Seventy Men From His People to Meet Allah. What Was the Reason, and What Happened There?
وَاخْتَارَ مُوسَىٰ قَوْمَهُ سَبْعِينَ رَجُلًا لِّمِيقَاتِنَا. ما سبب هذا الاختيار للقاء الله وماذا حدث هناك؟
Allah appointed a time for Moses to come, bringing with him the best men among the Children of Israel, to seek repentance for them from Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. He reached Mount At-Tur, a cloud covered Moses, and he began to speak privately with his Lord while they listened. They said, "We will never believe you until we see Allah with our own eyes," meaning to make sure that Moses was truly speaking with his Lord. So the earthquake seized them from beneath their feet and they all died, and Moses began to plead with Allah, the Mighty and Majestic: "Will You destroy us for what the foolish among us have done?"
Moses chose seventy men from among the most pious and the elders of the Children of Israel, and went to Mount At-Tur so that they might apologize to Allah the Exalted for worshipping the calf that Al-Samiri had made for them. They stood watching Moses (peace be upon him) as he entered a low-lying cloud and spoke with his Lord. When he finished, rather than feeling sorrow and regret, they told Moses they would not believe until they saw Allah with their own eyes.
(And ˹remember˺ when you said, "O Moses! We will never believe you until we see Allah with our own eyes," so a thunderbolt struck you while you were looking on.) Al-Baqarah 2:55
The ground shook beneath them, and the seventy men were struck by a thunderbolt, falling dead to the ground. Moses thought about what he would say to the Children of Israel after the death of the seventy men who were supposed to be the best of the people. He felt there was no hope left for his people, and turned to Allah.
(Moses chose seventy men from among his people for Our appointment and, when they were seized by an earthquake, he cried, "My Lord! Had You willed, You could have destroyed them long ago, and me as well. Will You destroy us for what the foolish among us have done? This is only a test from You, by which You allow whoever You will to stray and guide whoever You will. You are our Guardian. So forgive us and have mercy on us. You are the best forgiver.") Al-A'raf 7:155
When Moses pleaded with Allah the Exalted, Allah brought the seventy men back to life after their death, and the Children of Israel wandered lost in the desert for several years.
(Then We brought you back to life after your death, so that perhaps you would be grateful.) Al-Baqarah 2:56
وقّت الله لموسى أن يأتي ومعه خيار بني إسرائيل يطلب لهم التوبة من الله سبحانه وتعالى، فوصل جبل الطور وغشيت موسى غمامة وجعل يناجي ربه وهم يسمعون. فقالوا: "لَن نُّؤْمِنَ لَكَ حَتَّىٰ نَرَى اللَّـهَ جَهْرَةً"، أي ليتأكدوا أن موسى يكلم ربه فعلاً، فأخذتهم الرجفة من تحت أرجلهم فماتوا جميعًا، فجعل موسى يعتذر إلى الله عز وجل: "أتهلكنا بما فعل السفهاء".
اختار موسى سبعين رجلاً من بني إسرائيل من المتدينين وكبار السن، وذهب إلى جبل الطور ليعتذر هؤلاء لله تعالى على عبادتهم العجل الذي صنعه لهم السامري. وقفوا ينظرون إلى موسى عليه السلام حيث دخل في غيمة منخفضة وكلم ربه. وعندما انتهى، بدلاً من شعورهم بالأسف والندامة، أخبروا موسى عليه السلام أنهم لن يؤمنوا حتى يروا الله بأعينهم.
(وَإِذْ قُلْتُمْ يَا مُوسَىٰ لَن نُّؤْمِنَ لَكَ حَتَّىٰ نَرَى اللَّـهَ جَهْرَةً فَأَخَذَتْكُمُ الصَّاعِقَةُ وَأَنتُمْ تَنظُرُونَ) البقرة 2: 55
اهتزت الأرض تحتهم والسبعون رجلاً صُعقوا بصاعقة برق فوقعوا على الأرض أمواتًا. فكر موسى ماذا سيقول لبني إسرائيل بعد هلاك السبعين رجلاً الذين من المفترض أن يكونوا من خيرة القوم. شعر أنه لا أمل في بني إسرائيل فلجأ إلى الله.
(وَاخْتَارَ مُوسَىٰ قَوْمَهُ سَبْعِينَ رَجُلًا لِّمِيقَاتِنَا فَلَمَّا أَخَذَتْهُمُ الرَّجْفَةُ قَالَ رَبِّ لَوْ شِئْتَ أَهْلَكْتَهُم مِّن قَبْلُ وَإِيَّايَ أَتُهْلِكُنَا بِمَا فَعَلَ السُّفَهَاءُ مِنَّا إِنْ هِيَ إِلَّا فِتْنَتُكَ تُضِلُّ بِهَا مَن تَشَاءُ وَتَهْدِي مَن تَشَاءُ أَنتَ وَلِيُّنَا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الْغَافِرِينَ) الأعراف 7: 155
ولما توسل موسى عليه السلام إلى الله تعالى أحيا الله السبعين رجلاً من موتهم، وسار بنو إسرائيل تائهين في الصحراء لعدة سنوات.
(ثُمَّ بَعَثْنَاكُم مِّن بَعْدِ مَوْتِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ) البقرة 2: 56
1. Seventy of the Best, Chosen for a Specific Mission | سبعون من الخيرة اختيروا لمهمة محددة
Musa did not bring the whole community back to Mount Tur; he selected seventy of the most pious and senior men to accompany him and apologize to Allah for the worship of the calf. This was meant to represent the community through its most trustworthy members, not a random or general gathering. How the people as a whole repented is told in how the Children of Israel repented from worshipping the calf.
لم يأت موسى بالقوم كلهم إلى جبل الطور، بل اختار سبعين من أتقى رجالهم وأكبرهم قدرا ليصحبوه ويعتذروا إلى الله عن عبادة العجل. وكان المقصود أن يمثل القوم أوثق أفرادهم، لا جمع عشوائي أو عام. وأما كيف تاب القوم جميعا فيأتي في بيان توبة بني إسرائيل من عبادة العجل.
2. An Unreasonable Demand From the Chosen Few | مطلبٌ غير معقول من المختارين أنفسهم
In the answer's account, these hand-picked men had just heard Musa speaking with Allah, yet they demanded to see Allah with their own eyes before they would believe. This demand from the community's supposedly best representatives shows the same pattern seen elsewhere: a persistent insistence on direct, physical proof despite being present for a genuine miracle.
وبحسب رواية الجواب، كان هؤلاء الرجال المختارون قد سمعوا للتو موسى يكلم الله، ومع ذلك طلبوا أن يروا الله بأعينهم قبل أن يؤمنوا. ويكشف هذا الطلب من خيرة ممثلي القوم المفترضين النمط نفسه الذي يظهر في مواضع أخرى: إصرار دائم على دليل حسي مباشر رغم حضورهم معجزة حقيقية.
3. Struck Down Instantly, Before Musa's Eyes | صعقٌ فوري أمام عيني موسى
A thunderbolt and earthquake struck the seventy men immediately, killing them all on the spot while Musa watched. According to the answer, his first reaction is not theological but deeply practical, wondering what he would even say to the rest of the Children of Israel after losing their finest representatives in an instant.
أصابت الرجال السبعين صاعقة ورجفة في الحال، فأهلكتهم جميعا في مكانهم وموسى ينظر. وبحسب الجواب، لم يكن رد فعله الأول تأملا عقديا، بل كان عمليا تماما، إذ تساءل عما سيقوله لبقية بني إسرائيل بعد أن فقد خيرة ممثليهم في لحظة.
4. A Desperate Plea That Ties His Own Fate to Theirs | توسلٌ يربط مصيره بمصيرهم
Musa's prayer notably includes himself in the potential destruction, "had You willed, You could have destroyed them long ago, and me as well," before asking whether Allah would destroy them all for the foolishness of only some among them. This framing binds his own standing to theirs, rather than distancing himself from his people's failure.
يلفت النظر أن دعاء موسى يُدخل نفسه في الهلاك المحتمل: "لو شئت أهلكتهم من قبل وإياي"، قبل أن يسأل هل يهلكهم الله جميعا بما فعل السفهاء من بعضهم. وتربط هذه الصياغة مكانته بمكانتهم، بدلا من أن ينأى بنفسه عن تقصير قومه.
5. Naming It a Test, Not Random Punishment | تسميته فتنة لا عقوبة عشوائية
Musa himself interprets the event within his own prayer, calling it "only a test from You, by which You allow whoever You will to stray and guide whoever You will" (7:155). This places even this devastating moment within Allah's wisdom, rather than treating it as an arbitrary disaster. Another sign the Children of Israel were shown is told in why Allah raised Mount Tur above the Children of Israel.
ويفسر موسى نفسه الحادثة في دعائه، فيسميها: "إن هي إلا فتنتك تضل بها من تشاء وتهدي من تشاء" (الأعراف 7: 155). وهذا يضع حتى هذه اللحظة المفجعة في إطار حكمة الله، لا في إطار كارثة عشوائية. وأما آية أخرى أُريها بنو إسرائيل فتأتي في بيان لماذا رفع الله جبل الطور فوق بني إسرائيل.
6. Revived, "So That You Might Be Grateful" | إحياؤهم "لعلكم تشكرون"
Allah answers Musa's plea by restoring the seventy men to life, and the Ayah names the explicit purpose of this second chance, so that they might be grateful. Being given life back after death was itself framed as a fresh occasion for gratitude, not simply an undoing of what had happened.
يستجيب الله لتوسل موسى فيعيد الرجال السبعين إلى الحياة، وتذكر الآية الغاية الصريحة من هذه الفرصة الثانية: "لعلكم تشكرون". فقد جُعلت إعادة الحياة بعد الموت مناسبة جديدة للشكر، لا مجرد إلغاء لما وقع.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
Why did Moses choose seventy men to accompany him?
To represent the Children of Israel in seeking Allah's forgiveness for worshipping the golden calf.
What did the seventy men demand?
To see Allah with their own eyes before they would believe.
What happened to them after this demand?
A thunderbolt struck them, and they fell dead.
How did Moses respond to their deaths?
He pleaded with Allah, asking whether He would destroy them for the foolishness of only some among them, calling the whole event a test.
What happened after Moses's plea?
Allah brought the seventy men back to life, so that they might be grateful.