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Al-Baqarah - 2:66
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Allah's statement,
فَجَعَلْنَاهَا نَكَالاً
So We made this punishment an example, means, Allah made the people of this village, who violated the sanctity of the Sabbath,
نَكَالاً
(an example) via the way they were punished.
Similarly, Allah said about Pharaoh,
فَأَخَذَهُ اللَّهُ نَكَالَ الاٌّخِرَةِ وَالاٍّوْلَى
So Allah, seized him with punishing example for his last and first transgression. (79:25)
Allah's statement,
لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهَا وَمَا خَلْفَهَا
for those in front of it and those behind it, meaning, for the other villages.
Ibn Abbas commented, "Meaning, 'We made this village an example for the villages around it by the manner in which We punished its people."'
Similarly, Allah said,
وَلَقَدْ أَهْلَكْنَا مَا حَوْلَكُمْ مِّنَ الْقُرَى وَصَرَّفْنَا الاٌّيَـتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ
And indeed We have destroyed towns (populations) round about you, and We have (repeatedly) shown (them) the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) in various ways that they might return (to the truth and believe in the Oneness of Allah Islamic Monotheism).(46:27)
Therefore, Allah made them an example for those who lived during their time as well as a reminder for those to come, by preserving their story. This is why Allah said,
وَمَوْعِظَةً لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ
and a lesson for Al-Muttaqin (the pious), meaning, a reminder.
This Ayah means, "The torment and punishment that this village suffered was a result of indulging in Allah's prohibitions and their deceit. Hence, those who have Taqwa should be aware of their evil behavior, so that what occurred to this village does not befall them as well."
Also, Imam Abu Abdullah bin Battah reported that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said,
لَاا تَرْتَكِبُوا مَا ارْتَكَبَتِ الْيَهُودُ فَتَسْتَحِلُّوا مَحَارِمَ اللهِ بِأَدْنَى الْحِيَل
Do not commit what the Jews committed, breaching what Allah has forbidden, by resorting to the lowest types of deceit.
This Hadith has a good (Jayid) chain of narration.
Allah knows best.
Al-Baqarah - 2:67
The Story of the murdered Israeli Man and the Cow
Allah said,
وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَى لِقَوْمِهِ إِنَّ اللّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تَذْبَحُواْ بَقَرَةً قَالُواْ أَتَتَّخِذُنَا هُزُواً قَالَ أَعُوذُ بِاللّهِ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ الْجَاهِلِينَ
And (remember) when Musa said to his people:"Verily, Allah commands you that you slaughter a cow." They said, "Do you make fun of us" He said, "I take Allah's refuge from being among Al-Jahilin (the ignorant or the foolish).
Allah said, 'O Children of Israel! Remember how I blessed you with miracle of the cow that was the means for discovering the identity of the murderer, when the murdered man was brought back to life.'
Ibn Abi Hatim recorded Ubaydah As-Salmani saying, "There was a man from among the Children of Israel who was impotent. He had substantial wealth, and only a nephew who would inherit from him. So his nephew killed him and moved his body at night, placing it at the doorstep of a certain man.
The next morning, the nephew cried out for revenge, and the people took up their weapons and almost fought each other. The wise men among them said, 'Why would you kill each other, while the Messenger of Allah is still among you?'
So they went to Musa and mentioned the matter to him and Musa said,
إِنَّ اللّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تَذْبَحُواْ بَقَرَةً قَالُواْ أَتَتَّخِذُنَا هُزُواً قَالَ أَعُوذُ بِاللّهِ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ الْجَاهِلِينَ
("Verily, Allah commands you that you slaughter a cow." They said, "Do you make fun of us!" He said, "I take Allah's refuge from being among Al-Jahilin (the ignorant or the foolish))."
"Had they not disputed, it would have been sufficient for them to slaughter any cow. However, they disputed, and the matter was made more difficult for them, until they ended up looking for the specific cow that they were later ordered to slaughter.
They found the designated cow with a man, only who owned that cow. He said, 'By Allah! I will only sell it for its skin's fill of gold.'
So they paid the cow's fill of its skin in gold, slaughtered it and touched the dead man with a part of it. He stood up, and they asked him, 'Who killed you?'
He said, 'That man,' and pointed to his nephew.
He died again, and his nephew was not allowed to inherit him. Thereafter, whoever committed murder for the purpose of gaining inheritance was not allowed to inherit."
Ibn Jarir reported something similar to that. Allah knows best.
Al-Baqarah - 2:68
The Stubbornness of the Jews regarding the Cow; Allah made the Matter difficult for Them
Allah mentioned the stubbornness of the Children of Israel and the many unnecessary questions they asked their Messengers. This is why when they were stubborn, Allah made the decisions difficult for them.
Had they slaughtered a cow, any cow, it would have been sufficient for them, as Ibn Abbas and Ubaydah have said. Instead, they made the matter difficult, and this is why Allah made it even more difficult for them.
Allah tells;
قَالُواْ ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّن لّنَا مَا هِيَ قَالَ
They said, "call upon your Lord for us that He may make plain to us what it is!" Meaning, "What is this cow and what is its description?"
Musa said,
إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ لاَّ فَارِضٌ وَلَا بِكْرٌ
He says, 'Verily, it is a cow neither too old nor too young', meaning, that it is neither old nor below the age of breeding.
This is the opinion of Abu Al-Aliyah, As-Suddi, Mujahid, Ikrimah, Atiyah Al-Awfi, Ata, Al-Khurasani, Wahb bin Munabbih, Ad-Dahhak, Al-Hasan, Qatadah and Ibn Abbas.
عَوَانٌ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ
but (it is) between the two conditions',
Ad-Dahhak reported that Ibn Abbas said that, it means, "Neither old nor young. Rather, she was at the age when the cow is strongest and fittest."
فَافْعَلُواْ مَا تُوْمَرونَ
so do what you are commanded."
Al-Baqarah - 2:69
قَالُواْ ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّن لَّنَا مَا لَوْنُهَا قَالَ إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ إِنّهَا بَقَرَةٌ صَفْرَاء فَاقِـعٌ لَّوْنُهَا تَسُرُّ النَّاظِرِينَ
They said, "Call upon your Lord for us to make plain to us its colour." He said, "He says, 'It is a yellow cow, bright in its colour, pleasing the beholders."'
In his Tafsir Al-Awfi reported from Ibn Abbas that,
فَاقِـعٌ لَّوْنُهَا
(bright in its colour), "A deep yellowish white."
As-Suddi said,
تَسُرُّ النَّاظِرِينَ
(pleasing the beholder), meaning, that it pleases those who see it.
This is also the opinion of Abu Al-Aliyah, Qatadah and Ar-Rabi bin Anas.
Furthermore, Wahb bin Munabbih said, "If you look at the cow's skin, you will think that the sun's rays radiate through its skin."
The modern version of the Tawrah mentions that the cow in the Ayah was red, but this is an error. Or, it might be that the cow was so yellow that it appeared blackish or reddish in color.
Allah knows best.
Al-Baqarah - 2:70
قَالُواْ ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّن لَّنَا مَا هِيَ
They said, "Call upon your Lord for us to make plain to us what it is.
إِنَّ البَقَرَ تَشَابَهَ عَلَيْنَا
Verily, to us all cows are alike, this means, that since cows are plentiful, then describe this cow for us further.
وَإِنَّأ إِن شَاء اللَّهُ
And surely, if Allah wills, and if you further describe it to us,
لَمُهْتَدُونَ
we will be guided.
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