“We said, ‘Go down from it, all together. Whenever guidance comes to you from Me, whoever follows My guidance shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve.’ (38) But those who disbelieve and deny Our signs—they are the companions of the Fire, remaining therein forever. (39)
“O Children of Israel, remember the favor I bestowed upon you, and fulfill My covenant; I will fulfill your covenant. And stand in awe of Me alone. (40) Believe in what I have sent down, confirming what is with you; do not be the first to disbelieve in it. Do not barter My signs for a trifling price, and fear Me alone. (41) Do not mix the truth with falsehood, nor conceal the truth while you know. (42) Establish the prayer, give zakah, and bow with those who bow. (43)”
Regarding His saying, exalted is He, “Go down from it, all together”: this means these four. It is also said that the first descent was from the Garden to the lowest heaven, and the latter descent (1) was from the lowest heaven to the earth. “Whenever there comes to you”: that is, whenever there comes to you, O descendants of Adam, “guidance from Me”—that is, right guidance and an explanation of a law. It is also said to mean a Book and a messenger. “Whoever follows My guidance shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve.” Ya‘qub recited “no fear” with the accusative ending throughout the Quran, while the other reciters read it with the nominative ending and nunation. They shall have no fear concerning what lies ahead of them (2), nor shall they grieve over what they have left behind. It is also said: they shall have no fear in this world, nor shall they grieve in the Hereafter.
“And those who disbelieve”—that is, who deny—“and deny Our signs,” meaning the Quran, “they are the companions of the Fire” on the Day of Resurrection; “they shall remain therein forever”: they shall neither leave it nor die therein.
Regarding His saying, exalted is He, “O Children of Israel”: O descendants of Jacob. Israel means “servant of Allah,” and Il is Allah, exalted is He. It is also said to mean “the chosen one of Allah.” Abu Ja‘far recited Israel without the hamzah. “Remember”: that is, preserve it in mind. Remembering may be with the heart or with the tongue. It is also said that what is intended is gratitude; it is expressed as remembrance because gratitude entails remembrance, whereas ingratitude entails forgetfulness. Al-Hasan said, “Remembering a blessing is gratitude for it.”
“My favor”: that is, My favors. It is singular in form but plural in meaning (4), as in His saying, exalted is He: “If you were to count Allah’s blessing, you could not enumerate it.” [Ibrahim 14:34] “Which I bestowed upon you”: that is, upon your forefathers and predecessors. Qatadah said: These are the favors with which the Children of Israel were especially distinguished: the parting of the sea; their deliverance from Pharaoh by drowning him; the shade of the clouds over them during their wandering; the sending down of manna and quails; and the sending down of the Torah—among many blessings too numerous to enumerate. Others said: rather, they are all the blessings belonging to Allah, exalted is He,