(16–17) “We certainly gave the Children of Israel the Scripture, judgment, and prophethood; provided them with good things; and favored them above all peoples. We also gave them clear proofs concerning the matter. They did not differ until after knowledge had come to them, out of transgression among themselves. Surely your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that over which they used to differ.”

That is, We bestowed upon the Children of Israel blessings granted to no other people. We gave them “the Scripture”—namely, the Torah and the Gospel—“judgment” among people, and “prophethood,” by which they were distinguished. Prophethood remained among the descendants of Abraham, peace be upon him, with most of the prophets being from the Children of Israel. “We provided them with good things,” including food, drink, clothing, and the manna and quails that were sent down to them; “and favored them above all peoples”—that is, above creation through these blessings. This nation is excluded from the literal generality of these words, for it is the best nation ever brought forth for humankind.

The context shows that the peoples intended here do not include this nation, for Allah recounts to us the favors He bestowed upon the Children of Israel and how He distinguished them from others. Moreover, every distinction by which the Children of Israel surpassed others—the Scripture, judgment, prophethood, and other qualities—has also been granted in full to this nation, while this nation has been granted many additional virtues beyond theirs. Indeed, the law given to the Children of Israel forms only one part of this law, for this Book is a guardian over all the previous Scriptures, and Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, attests to the truth of all the messengers.

“We also gave them”—that is, the Children of Israel—“clear proofs,” meaning indications distinguishing truth from falsehood, “concerning the matter”: the divinely ordained events that Allah brought about for them.

Those signs were the miracles they witnessed through Moses, peace be upon him. The blessings Allah bestowed upon the Children of Israel should have led them to fulfill their duties toward them in the most perfect manner and to unite upon the truth Allah had made clear to them. Yet matters were reversed, and they responded to those blessings in precisely the opposite manner to what was required.

They became divided over the very thing upon which they had been commanded to unite. Hence He says: “They did not differ until after knowledge had come to them”—knowledge that should have prevented ⦗777⦘ disagreement. They were driven to disagree only by their transgression against one another and their wrongdoing.

“Surely your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that over which they used to differ.” He will distinguish the upholder of truth from the follower of falsehood, who was driven to disagreement by caprice or some other motive.