Al-A'raf 7:138
SAHIHوَجَٰوَزْنَا بِبَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ ٱلْبَحْرَ فَأَتَوْا۟ عَلَىٰ قَوْمٍۢ يَعْكُفُونَ عَلَىٰٓ أَصْنَامٍۢ لَّهُمْ ۚ قَالُوا۟ يَٰمُوسَى ٱجْعَل لَّنَآ إِلَٰهًۭا كَمَا لَهُمْ ءَالِهَةٌۭ ۚ قَالَ إِنَّكُمْ قَوْمٌۭ تَجْهَلُونَ
And We took the Children of Israel across the sea; then they came upon a people intent in devotion to [some] idols of theirs. They said, "O Moses, make for us a god just as they have gods." He said, "Indeed, you are a people behaving ignorantly.
Wa jaawaznaa bi Banneee Israaa'eelal bahra fa ataw 'alaa qawminy ya'kufoona 'alaaa asnaamil lahum; qaaloo yaa Moosaj'al lanaa ilaahan kamaa lahum aalihah; qaala innakum qawmun tajhaloon
Tafsir (Commentary)
<h2>The Children of Israel safely cross the Sea, but still held on to the Idea of Idol Worshipping</h2><p>Allah mentions the words that the ignorant ones among the Children of Israel uttered to Musa after they crossed the sea and witnessed Allah's Ayat and great power.</p><p>فَأَتَوْاْ عَلَى قَوْمٍ يَعْكُفُونَ عَلَى أَصْنَامٍ لَّهُمْ</p><p>(And they came upon a people devoted to some of their idols (in worship).) Some scholars of Tafsir said that the people mentioned here were from Canaan, or from the tribe of Lakhm. Ibn Jarir commented, "They were worshipping idols that they made in the shape of cows, and this influenced the Children of Israel later when they worshipped the calf. They said here,</p><p>يَمُوسَى اجْعَلْ لَّنَآ إِلَـهًا كَمَا لَهُمْ ءَالِهَةٌ قَالَ إِنَّكُمْ قَوْمٌ تَجْهَلُونَ</p><p>("O Musa! Make for us a god as they have gods." He said: "Verily, you are an ignorant people.") Musa replied, you are ignorant of Allah's greatness and majesty and His purity from any partners or anything resembling Him.</p><p>إِنَّ هَـؤُلاءِ مُتَبَّرٌ مَّا هُمْ فِيهِ</p><p>("Verily, these people will be destroyed for that which they are engaged in) they will perish,</p><p>وَبَطَلَ مَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ</p><p>("and all that they are doing is in vain.") Commenting on this Ayah, Imam Abu Ja`far …
Other Translations
And We brought the Children of Israel across the sea, and they came unto a people who were given up to idols which they had. They said: O Moses! Make for us a god even as they have gods. He said: Lo! ye are a folk who know not.
We took the Children of Israel (with safety) across the sea. They came upon a people devoted entirely to some idols they had. They said: "O Moses! fashion for us a god like unto the gods they have." He said: "Surely ye are a people without knowledge.
And We brought the Children of Israel (with safety) across the sea, and they came upon a people devoted to some of their idols (in worship). They said: "O Musa (Moses)! Make for us an ilahan (a god) as they have aliha (gods)." He said: "Verily, you are a people who know not (the Majesty and Greatness of Allah and what is obligatory upon you, i.e. to worship none but Allah Alone, the One and the Only God of all that exists)."
And We delivered the Children of Israel across the sea. And when they came upon a people who were devoted to some statues of theirs, they said, “O Moses, make for us a god, as they have gods.” He said, “You are truly an ignorant people.”