Surah 20. Ta-Ha, Ayah 84

The classical commentators understand this phrase in its physical sense, i.e., "they are coming up behind me and are now close by". Since, however, Moses was obviously meant to be alone on his ascent of Mount Sinai, I am of the opinion that his answer has a tropical sense, expressing his assumption that the children of Israel would follow his guidance even in his absence: an assumption which proved erroneous, as shown in the sequence.