So Allah, the Most High, said: "And when"; that is, remember when. He attributed the killing to all, while the killer is one, because that is the custom of the Arabs. This is because the custom of the defending tribe is to defend one of them. So He said: "You have killed a soul." He turned to them with a reprimand, indicating that those present among them are pleased with what has passed from their ancestors and that whoever wishes for something is of its doing.

And when they denied the killing, it caused His saying to indicate its concealment by merging: "So you were disputing in it"; that is, you were defending, and each group among you was attributing the killing to the other. Thus, you had three sins by that: the sin of the major sin, the sin of persistence, and the sin of slander by the denial. Al-Kalbi said: And this was before the revelation of the Qasama in the Torah, as if he is alluding to what I will mention about it shortly.

And when their action in the dispute was the action of one who is heedless of the encompassing knowledge of the Creator, glorified is He, He said, narrating their state at that time: "And Allah"; that is, while the One who has all authority is "bringing forth" with His subtle craftsmanship and great status "what you were concealing." And in His precedence, there is also an increase in their reproach for their hesitation in slaughtering the cow which they were commanded to slaughter for a great benefit after some of them hastened to kill a human like him after the severe prohibition against it. And He said, alerting them by turning to the style of greatness regarding what is in the commanded action from it.