They turn their chests away, they deviate from the truth and turn away from it. This is because whoever approaches something faces it with his chest, and whoever turns away and deviates folds his chest away from it and turns his side away from it to hide from it. This means: they want to hide from Allah, so that His Messenger and the believers do not become aware of their deviation. An example of the concealment they intend is similar to the implication in the saying of Allah, "Strike with your staff the sea," meaning he struck and it split. The meaning of "Is it not when they cover themselves with their garments" and they increase in their hiding is also in the context of their aversion to hearing the words of Allah, as the saying of Noah, peace be upon him, indicates: "They put their fingers in their ears and covered themselves with their garments." Then it was said: "He knows what they conceal and what they declare," meaning that there is no difference in His knowledge between their secrecy and their declaration. Therefore, there is no way for them to achieve what they want from hiding, and Allah is aware of their turning away of their chests and their covering of their garments, and their hypocrisy is not hidden from Him. It has been narrated that this was revealed concerning Al-Akhnas ibn Shurayq, who would show love to the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, and he had a sweet speech and a pleasant manner of conversation. The Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, enjoyed his company and conversation, while he concealed what he truly felt. It was said: it was revealed concerning the hypocrites. It has been recited: "They turn their chests away," and "they turn away" is a form of exaggeration from turning, just as "they sweeten" is from sweetness, and it is a form of emphasis. It has been recited with the 'ta' and the 'ya'. And from Ibn Abbas, it is "they turn away." It has been recited: "They turn away" and its origin is "they turn away" from the root of turning, which means the weakness of the grass. It refers to the yielding of their chests to turning, just as the weak plant bends. Or it refers to the weakness of their faith and the sickness of their hearts. It has been recited: "They turn away," from "to turn away" as a form of action, then it was emphasized as it was said: "they became white," and "they became darkened." And it has been recited: "They turn away," in the pattern of "they become frightened."