(49–57) “And remember when We delivered you from Pharaoh’s people, who subjected you to dreadful torment, slaughtering your sons and sparing your women. In that was a tremendous trial from your Lord. * And remember when We parted the sea for you, saved you, and drowned Pharaoh’s people while you looked on. * And remember when We appointed forty nights for Moses; then, in his absence, you took the calf for worship, while you were wrongdoers. * Then We pardoned you after that so that you might be grateful. * And remember when We gave Moses the Scripture and the criterion so that you might be guided. * And remember when Moses said to his people, ‘My people, you have wronged yourselves by taking the calf for worship. So repent to your Maker and kill one another. That is better for you in the sight of your Maker.’ Then He accepted your repentance. He alone is the Accepter of Repentance, the Most Merciful. * And remember when you said, ‘Moses, we will never believe you until we see Allah openly.’ Thereupon the thunderbolt seized you while you looked on. * Then We raised you after your death so that you might be grateful. * And We shaded you with clouds and sent down manna and quail upon you, saying, ‘Eat of the wholesome things We have provided for you.’ They did not wrong Us, but they were wronging themselves.”
This begins the detailed enumeration of His blessings upon the Children of Israel. He says, “And remember when We delivered you from Pharaoh’s people”—that is, from Pharaoh, his notables, and his soldiers. Before that, they had been “subjecting you”—that is, imposing upon you and forcing you to endure—“dreadful torment,” namely, its severest form: “slaughtering your sons” for fear that your population would grow, “and sparing your women,” meaning that they did not kill them. Thus, some of you were killed, others were humiliated through arduous labor, and still others were kept alive only as an assertion of favor and superiority over them. This was the utmost humiliation. Allah therefore bestowed upon them the blessing of complete deliverance and drowned their enemy before their eyes, to their great satisfaction.
“In that”—meaning the deliverance—“was a tremendous trial from your Lord,” that is, a tremendous act of kindness. This required you to be grateful and to carry out His commands.
He then mentioned His favor upon them in appointing forty nights for Moses, so that the Torah—containing tremendous blessings and far-reaching benefits—might be sent down for them. Yet they did not remain patient until the appointed period was complete, but worshipped the calf in his absence—that is, after his departure.
“While you were wrongdoers,” fully aware of your wrongdoing, after the proof had already been established against you. This made the offense all the more heinous and the sin all the greater.
Then, through His Prophet Moses, He commanded you to repent by having some of you kill others. By reason of that, Allah pardoned you “so that you might be grateful” to Allah.
“And remember when you said, ‘Moses, we will never believe you until we see Allah openly.’” This was the utmost wrongdoing and audacity toward Allah and His Messenger. “Thereupon the thunderbolt seized you”—either death or a profound swoon—“while you looked on” as it occurred, each one watching his companion. “Then We raised you after your death so that you might be grateful.”
He then mentioned His blessing upon you during your wanderings in a wilderness devoid of shade, as well as His abundant provision. He says, “And We shaded you with clouds and sent down manna upon you.” Manna is a general term for every wholesome provision obtained without toil, including ginger, truffles, bread, and other things.
“And quail” refers to a small bird with flavorful meat. Enough manna and quail would descend upon them to meet their needs ⦗53⦘ and sustain them. “Eat of the wholesome things We have provided for you”—that is, provision the like of which even affluent city dwellers do not obtain. Yet they did not give thanks for this blessing, but persisted in hardheartedness and abundant sin.
“They did not wrong Us” through those acts that contravened Our commands, for Allah is not harmed by the disobedience of sinners, just as He does not benefit from the obedience of those who obey. “Rather, they were wronging themselves,” for the harm of their deeds returned upon them.