The Book and the Criterion means the one that combines being a revealed Book and a Criterion that distinguishes between truth and falsehood. It means the Torah, as in your saying: I saw the rain and the lion, meaning the man who combines generosity and bravery. Similar to His saying, the Exalted: (And We certainly gave Moses and Aaron the Criterion and a light and a reminder), meaning the Book that combines being a Criterion, a light, and a reminder: or the Torah. The proof is what distinguishes between disbelief and faith, such as the staff and the hand and other signs, or the law that distinguishes between the lawful and the unlawful. It is said that the Criterion is the parting of the sea. It is also said to be the victory that distinguished between him and his enemy, as His saying, the Exalted: (On the Day of the Criterion) refers to the Day of Badr. The saying, 'So kill yourselves,' is taken literally, which is the act of self-destruction. It is said to mean that some of them should kill each other. It is also said to be a command for those who did not worship the calf to kill the worshippers. It was narrated that a man would see his son, his father, his neighbor, and his relative, but they could not proceed with the command of Allah. So Allah sent a mist and a black cloud under which they could not see each other, and they were commanded to stay in the courtyards of their houses. Those who did not worship the calf took their swords, and they were told: be patient, for Allah cursed whoever extended his hand or loosened his belt or defended himself with a hand or a foot, and they would say: Amen. They killed them until evening, until Moses and Aaron prayed and said: O Lord, the Children of Israel have perished, the remnants are few, so the cloud was lifted and repentance was sent down. The swords fell from their hands, and the dead were seventy thousand. If you say: what is the difference between the conjunctions? I say: the first is for causation only, because oppression is the cause of repentance. The second is for succession, as the meaning is: resolve to repent and then kill yourselves, before Allah made their repentance in killing themselves. It may be that killing is the completion of their repentance. The meaning would then be: so repent, and follow the repentance with killing as a completion of your repentance. The third is related to an omitted phrase, and it cannot be anything other than that it is connected to Moses' words to them, relating to an omitted condition, as if he said: if you do so, then your Creator has accepted your repentance. Or it may be a speech from Allah to them in a way of turning away. The implication would be: you did what Moses commanded you, so your Creator accepted your repentance. If you say: why is this place specifically mentioned with the Creator? I say: the Creator is the one who created creation free from disparity (you do not see in the creation of the Most Merciful any disparity) and distinguished some of it from others by different shapes and varying forms. Thus, there was a reprimand for what they did by abandoning the worship of the Wise Lord who created them with the gentleness of His wisdom in different shapes, free from disparity and discord, to the worship of the calf, which is an example of ignorance and dullness. - In the sayings of the Arabs: duller than a bull - until they exposed themselves to the wrath of Allah and the descent of His command to undo what He created in them, and to scatter what He arranged of their forms and shapes, when they did not give thanks for the blessing in that, and belittled it by worshiping one who is incapable of anything of it.