“And We divided them into twelve tribes, communities; and We revealed to Moses, when his people asked him for water, ‘Strike the rock with your staff.’ Thereupon twelve springs gushed forth from it. Each group knew its own drinking place. And We shaded them with clouds and sent down upon them manna and quails: ‘Eat of the good things We have provided for you.’ They did not wrong Us, but they wronged themselves. (160)

“And when it was said to them, ‘Settle in this town and eat from it wherever you wish. Say, “Pardon us,” and enter the gate bowing humbly; We shall forgive you your sins, and We shall increase those who do good.’ (161) But those among them who did wrong substituted a word other than that which had been said to them; so We sent down upon them a punishment from heaven because of their wrongdoing. (162)”

His saying, exalted is He: “And We divided them,” that is, We separated them—meaning the Children of Israel—“into twelve tribes, communities.”