And remember We took your covenant and We raised above you (the towering height) of Mount (Sinai): (Saying): "Hold firmly to what We have given you, and hearken (to the Law)(97)": They said:" We hear, and we disobey(98):" And they had to drink(99) into their hearts (of the taint) of the calf because of their Faithlessness. Say: "Vile indeed are the behests of your Faith if ye have any faith!"
97 Cf. the introductory words of 2:63, which are the same as the introductory words here, but the argument is developed in a different direction in the two places. In 2:63, after they are reminded of the solemn Covenant under the towering height of Mount Sinai they are told how they broke the Covenant in after ages Here, after they are reminded of the same solemn Covenant, they are told that even then they never meant to observe it. Their thought is expressed in biting words of sarcasm. They said in words: "All that the Lord hath spoken, we will do" But they said in their hearts: "We shall disobey." 98 What they should have said was: "We hear and we obey": this is the attitude of the true men of Faith (2:285). (Cf. 2:285, 8:21 , and 24:51). 99 After the Commandments and the Law had been given at Mount Sinai, and the people had solemnly given their Covenant,. Moses went up to the Mount, and in his absence, the people made the golden calf. [The word ushribu which occurs in the verse seems to suggest, as the noted Tabi'i Qatadah is reported to have said, that their hearts were saturated with the love for the calf. See Ibn Kathir, Commentary on the verse 2:93, (Eds.)]