Surah Al Baqarah Tafseer

وَلَتَجِدَنَّهُمْ أَحْرَصَ النَّاسِ عَلَى حَيَاةٍ

But they will never long for it because of what their hands have sent before them (i.e. what they have done). And Allah is Aware of the Zalimin. And verily, you will find them (the Jews) the greediest of mankind for life.

meaning, greedy to live longer, because they know their evil end, and the only reward they will have with Allah is total loss. This life is a prison for the believer and Paradise for the disbeliever. Therefore, the People of the Book wish they could delay the Hereafter, as much as possible. However, they shall certainly meet what they are trying to avoid, even if they are more eager to delay the Hereafter than the polytheists who do not have a divine book.

وَمِنَ الَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُواْ يَوَدُّ أَحَدُهُمْ لَوْ يُعَمَّرُ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ

and (even greedier) than those who ascribe partners to Allah. One of them wishes that he could be given a life of a thousand years.

وَمَا هُوَ بِمُزَحْزِحِهِ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ أَن يُعَمَّرَ

But the grant of such life will not save him even a little from (due) punishment.

Muhammad bin Ishaq narrated that Ibn Abbas commented,

"Long life shall not save them from torment. Certainly, the polytheists do not believe in resurrection after death, and they would love to enjoy a long life. The Jews know the humiliation they will suffer in the Hereafter for knowingly ignoring the truth."

Also, Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said,

"The Jews are most eager for this life. They wish they could live for a thousand years. However, living for a thousand years will not save them from torment, just as Iblis - Satan - long life did not benefit him, due to being a disbeliever."

وَاللّهُ بَصِيرٌ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ

And Allah is Seer of what they do.

meaning, "Allah knows what His servants are doing, whether good or evil, and will compensate each of them accordingly.