The phrase after "except" is an adjective for a deleted noun. The meaning is: And We did not send before you any of the messengers except eaters and walkers. The deletion is sufficient by the preposition and the genitive, meaning from the messengers. And similar is His saying, the Exalted One, "And there is none of us except that he has a known position" meaning: And there is none of us. And it was read: "And they walk," in the passive form, meaning: Their needs or the people make them walk. If it were read: "They walk," it would have been more appropriate were it not for the narration. It is said that this is a rebuttal to those who said, "What is the matter with this messenger that he eats food and walks in the markets?" A trial, meaning a test and a trial. This is a consolation for the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, regarding what they said and what they innovated, about his eating food and walking in the markets after he argued with them using other messengers. He says: My custom and the requirement of My wisdom is to test some of you by means of others, O people. The meaning is that He tested the messengers with those sent to them, and with their enmity towards them, and their words that exceed the limits of fairness, and the various types of their harm, and He commanded them to have beautiful patience. Similar to: "And you will surely hear from those who were given the Scripture before you and from those who associated others with Allah much abuse. And if you are patient and fear Allah, then that is of the matters [requiring] determination." The position of "Will you be patient?" after mentioning the trial is like the position of "Which of you" after the test in His saying: "To test you which of you is best in deed." Knowing the truth in what he is tested with and other than it, so let not your heart be constricted, nor let their sayings weigh you down, for in your patience upon it is your happiness and your success in both abodes. It is said that this is a consolation for him regarding what they mocked him for concerning poverty, when they said: "Or a treasure is brought to him, or he has a garden." And that He made the rich a trial for the poor to see: Will they be patient? And that it is His wisdom and will: He enriches whom He wills and impoverishes whom He wills. It is said: We made you a trial for them, for if you were rich, possessing treasures and gardens, their inclination towards you and their obedience to you would be for worldly gain, or mixed with the world. Thus, We sent you as a poor man so that the obedience of those who obey you would be purely for the sake of Allah without any worldly desire. It is said that Abu Jahl and Al-Walid ibn Al-Mughira and Al-As ibn Wa'il and those in their class would say: If we convert to Islam, and before us have converted Ammar, Suhaib, Bilal, and so on, they would elevate themselves over us, boasting of their precedence. This is the trial of some of them by others.