Then it was mentioned that when they turned away from the noble presence, they turned to the presence of the devil. They honored sins as a sign that they were the most hardened of people in their hearts and the most audacious and stubborn. They do not heed fear nor do they remain steadfast for desire. So Allah, the Exalted, said, "And when..." It is shorter than this to say that when He, glorified is He, established His saying for the knowledgeable, the righteous, the obedient, whoever he may be, He recited to him what the Jews had of the harshness that leads to aversion from the happiness that is the fruit of knowledge. And what He, glorified is He, has of the superiority over them by compelling them to return to Him. He said, "And when..." meaning, remember, O Children of Israel, when We took from you the covenant of hearing and obedience, which is the binding contract. It is a repetition of the covenant for emphasis, as in its affirmation by the Book - this was said by al-Harali.

"And We raised..." And when the mountain had become above them like a shade, general for them, such that if it fell upon them, no one would escape from them, He removed the burden and said, "Above you is the Mount..." as a warning for you to accept the covenant, which is the cause of your happiness. And from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with both of them, that every mountain that grows, and every mountain that does not grow is not a Mount. And We said to you, and it is a shade above you, "Take what We have given you..." from the Book for happiness through My obedience and adherence to My rulings that necessitate being in My presence "with strength" meaning with seriousness and diligence. And strength is the inner ability, from the powers which are the capacities of the rope that one relies upon and is assured of its continuity - this was said by al-Harali.

"And remember what is in it..." of holding fast to it and for transitioning away from it when the abrogating text comes, a mention that should be in the heart as thought and on the tongue as remembrance, "so that you may..." meaning, so that you may have hope that you will avoid the causes of wrath. And when the estimation is: so you took that and you bound the covenant with it out of fear that the mountain would bury you, He turned to it and indicated that it is His right to be distanced from abandoning it by the tool of distance.