He chose the thing, meaning He gathered it for Himself: that is, He collected it, as you say: he gathered it. Or he brought it to himself and chose it: that is, he took it, as you say: the bride came to him and he chose her. And the meaning of 'If you had not chosen her, would you not have gathered her?' is an act done from yourself, because they used to say: 'This is nothing but a fabricated lie' or 'Why did you not take it as a revelation proposed to you?' Say: 'I only follow what is revealed to me from my Lord, and I am not one who fabricates the signs, nor am I one who proposes them. These are clear proofs from your Lord.' That is, they are evident arguments by which the believers return to being insightful after blindness, or it is like the insights of the hearts.