Surah An Nisa Tafseer

وَرَفَعْنَا فَوْقَهُمُ الطُّورَ بِمِيثَاقِهِمْ

And for their covenant, We raised over them the mount,

This was when they refrained from implementing the rulings of the Tawrah and refused what Musa brought them from Allah. So Allah raised the mountain above their heads and they were ordered to prostrate, which they did. Even so, they were looking above when they were prostrating for fear that the mountain might fall on them,

وَإِذ نَتَقْنَا الْجَبَلَ فَوْقَهُمْ كَأَنَّهُ ظُلَّةٌ وَظَنُّواْ أَنَّهُ وَاقِعٌ بِهِمْ خُذُواْ مَأ ءَاتَيْنَاكُم بِقُوَّةٍ

And (remember) when We raised the mountain over them as if it had been a canopy, and they thought that it was going to fall on them. (We said):"Hold firmly to what We have given you." (7:171)

Allah then said,

وَقُلْنَا لَهُمُ ادْخُلُواْ الْبَابَ سُجَّدًا

and We said, "Enter the gate prostrating (or bowing) with humility;"

meaning that they also defied this command in word and action. They were commanded to enter Bayt Al-Quds (in Jerusalem) while bowing and saying "Hittah", meaning:`O Allah! take from us our sin of abandoning Jihad.'

This was the cause of their wandering in the desert of Tih for forty years. Yet, they entered the House while crawling on their rear ends and saying `Hintah (a wheat grain) in Sha`rah (the hair)'.

وَقُلْنَا لَهُمْ لَا تَعْدُواْ فِي السَّبْتِ

and We commanded them, "Transgress not the Sabbath (Saturday)."

meaning, We commanded them to honor the Sabbath and honor what Allah prohibited them on that day.

وَأَخَذْنَا مِنْهُم مِّيثَاقًا غَلِيظًا

And We took from them a firm covenant.

meaning, strong covenant. They rebelled, transgressed and committed what Allah prohibited by using deceit and trickery, as is mentioned in Surah Al-A`raf.

وَسْيَلْهُمْ عَنِ الْقَرْيَةِ الَّتِى كَانَتْ حَاضِرَةَ الْبَحْرِ

And ask them about the town that was by the sea. (7:163)