( وَقَطَّعْنَاهُمُ اثْنَتَيْ عَشْرَةَ أَسْبَاطًا) (And We divided them into twelve descendant tribes): (Descendant) refers to grandson, the child of a child. The descendant tribes are the sons of Prophet Jacob (Israel) (PBUH), commonly known as the Children of Israel. Their descendants come from the lineage of Prophet Ya’qub (PBUH) and his children include Prophet Yusuf (PBUH) and his brothers, who were twelve in number.
( أُمَمًا ) ([as distinct] nations): The Jews remain until this day divided into different nations across the world because Allah (swt) has decreed on them to be divided into descendant tribes.
( وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰ إِذِ اسْتَسْقَاهُ قَوْمُهُ أَنِ اضْرِب بِّعَصَاكَ الْحَجَرَ ) (And We inspired to Moses when his people implored him for water, “Strike with your staff the stone,”): When they were wandering in the wildness, they suffered from severe thirst, so they asked Prophet Moses (PBUH) for water, then Allah (swt), inspired him (PBUH) to strike the rock with his staff—the same staff with which Prophet Moses (PBUH) had previously struck the sea. So, with the same object, Allah (swt) miraculously provided water. The staff of Prophet Moses (PBUH) had previously caused the sea to part, creating massive paths between the waters, and now it brought forth water from the rock.
( فَانبَجَسَتْ مِنْهُ اثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ عَيْنًا ) (and there gushed forth from it twelve springs): In other verses, the word (exploded) was used. The difference between both of these words is that (exploded) implies a sudden burst or eruption, while (gushed forth) means that water drops come first and then water flows out. Here, the Holy Quran describes the initial flow of water. It is noteworthy how Allah (swt) grants and withholds using the same object; with the same staff and with one strike, twelve springs were given, one to each of the descendant tribes. This was a great miracle.
( قَدْ عَلِمَ كُلُّ أُنَاسٍ مَّشْرَبَهُمْ ) (Every people knew its watering place): Each tribe knew which spring was assigned to it to drink from. So that they did not compete over water.
( وَظَلَّلْنَا عَلَيْهِمُ الْغَمَامَ ) (And We shaded them with clouds): They were walking in the desert, suffering from intense heat. Allah (swt), in response to Prophet Moses’ (PBUH) supplication, graced them with shade from a series of clouds, covering them from the burning of the sun.
( وَأَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمُ الْمَنَّ وَالسَّلْوَىٰ ) (and sent down upon them manna and quails): The (manna) refers to a sweet substance found on trees, often in white color, resembling honey. As for (quails), they are a type of fowls. Therefore, their needs were divinely provided, sent to them directly from the Creator (swt) without any effort from them.
( كُلُوا مِن طَيِّبَاتِ مَا رَزَقْنَاكُمْ ۚ وَمَا ظَلَمُونَا وَلَٰكِن كَانُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ ) ([saying], “Eat from the good things with which We have provided you.” And they wronged Us not, but they were [only] wronging themselves): In another verse, Allah (swt) stated what they said to the Prophet Moses (PBUH):
يَا مُوسَىٰ لَن نَّصْبِرَ عَلَىٰ طَعَامٍ وَاحِدٍ فَادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُخْرِجْ لَنَا مِمَّا تُنبِتُ الْأَرْضُ مِن بَقْلِهَا وَقِثَّائِهَا وَفُومِهَا وَعَدَسِهَا وَبَصَلِهَا
(“O Moses, we can never endure one [kind of] food. So call upon your Lord to bring forth for us from the earth its green herbs and its cucumbers and its garlic and its lentils and its onions”) (Al-Baqara: 61)
They were not pleased with the great thing that Allah (swt) had given them, they wanted materialistic items. The manna and quails came to them without any cause, however, they desired more, like onions and garlic…etc.