They were farmers, so they turned to their desires and rejected what they were in. The saying "so they rejected what they were in" means they disliked it. This is indicated by the dictionaries. Their souls sought hardship for a single food. They wanted what they were provided in the wilderness of manna and quails. If you say: there are two foods, why did they say they wanted a single food? I say: they meant by 'one' what does not differ and does not change. Even if there were several varieties on a man's table that he consistently has every day without changing them, it could be said: so-and-so eats only one food, meaning by unity the negation of change and difference. It is also possible they meant it is one type, because both are from the food of enjoyment and luxury. We are farmers of agriculture, and we want only what we are accustomed to and have been harmed by from the varying things like grains and vegetables and the like. The meaning of "bring forth for us" is to show us and provide. The vegetables are what the earth has produced from greens. It refers to the delicious vegetables that people eat, like mint, celery, leeks, and similar ones. And it was read (and its cucumbers) with a damma. The garlic is wheat. Hence, 'make us bread' means: bake for us. It was said to be garlic. This is supported by the reading of Ibn Mas'ud: and its garlic, which is more suitable for lentils and onions. The lower one is what is closer in status and lesser in amount. The terms 'lower' and 'near' are used to express a small amount, as it is said: he is near in status and close in rank, just as the opposite is expressed by distance, saying: he is far in status and far in ambition, meaning they want elevation and superiority. Zuhair Al-Farqi read: 'lower' with a hamza from 'lowness.' "Descend to a city" was read as 'descend' with a damma, meaning to come down to it from the wilderness. It is said: he descended into the valley when he went down into it, and he descended from it when he came out. The land of the wilderness is what lies between Jerusalem and Qinnasrin, which is twelve parasangs in eight parasangs. It is possible he meant knowledge, and he used it with both reasons present, which are the definite article and femininity, due to the stillness in its middle, like his saying: and Noah and Lot. In them is foreignness and definiteness. If he meant the city, there is only one reason for it, and that is to mean a city from the cities. In the manuscript of Abdullah, which Al-A'mash read: "descend to Egypt" - without tanween - like his saying: "enter Egypt." It was said to be "Mitsrayim." And it was said: "and humiliation was imposed upon them," meaning that humiliation surrounded them and encompassed them. They are in it as if they were in a tent that was imposed upon them. Or it was stuck to them until it became a permanent mark, just as clay is stuck to a wall. The Jews are humbled, lowly, people of poverty and destitution, either literally or due to their being small and degraded, fearing that the tribute would be doubled upon them. They have incurred the wrath of Allah, from the saying: so-and-so incurred so-and-so, if he is truly deserving of being killed by it, for he equated himself with it. That is, they became deserving of His wrath. This refers to what has been mentioned earlier about the imposition of humiliation and poverty and the connection with wrath, meaning that is due to their disbelief and killing the prophets. The Jews - may they be cursed - killed Isaiah, Zechariah, John, and others. If you say: killing the prophets cannot be done except unjustly, what is the benefit of mentioning it? I say: its meaning is that they killed them unjustly in their view, for they did not kill or corrupt the earth to be killed. They only advised them and called them to what would benefit them, so they killed them. If they were asked and were fair to themselves, they would not mention a reason that would justify killing in their view. Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, read: "and they kill" with emphasis. This is a repetition to indicate what they disobeyed due to committing various sins and transgressing the limits of Allah in everything, along with their disbelief in the signs of Allah and killing the prophets. It was said: it refers to their transgression on Saturday. It is possible that this refers to disbelief and killing the prophets, meaning that is due to their disobedience and transgression, for they immersed themselves in both until their hearts became hard, and they dared to deny the signs and kill the prophets, or that disbelief and killing along with what they disobeyed.