The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 4) — Page 806
CH. 38 ṢĀD PT. 23 وَهَلْ أَتُكَ نَبَؤُا الْخَصْمِ إِذْ تَسَوَّرُوا And has the story of the. 22 الْمِحْرَابَ disputants reached thee when they climbed over the wall of his chamber?3392 23. When they entered in upon David, and he was afraid of 13 إِذْ دَخَلُوا عَلَى دَاوُدَ فَفَزِعَ مِنْهُمْ قَالُوا لَا تَخَفْ خَمْنِ بَغَى بَعْضُنَا عَلَى them. They said, “Fear not. We بَعْضٍ فَاحْكُمُ بَيْنَنَا بِالْحَقِّ وَلَا تُشْطط has transgressed against the وَاهْدِنَا إِلَى سَوَاءِ الصِرَاطِ are two disputants; one of us other; so judge between us with justice, and deviate not from the right course and guide us to the right way. 3393 إِنَّ هَذَا أَخِي لَهُ تِسْع وَتِسْعُونَ نَعْجَةً This is my brother; he has. 24 ninety-nine ewes, and I have وَلِى نَعْجَةً وَاحِدَةٌ فَقَالَ اَكْفِلْنِيهَا only one ewe. Yet he says وَعَزَّنِي فِي الْخِطَابِ 'Give it to me,' and has been overbearing to address. "3394 me in his 3392. Important Words: (they climbed over) is derived from. They say bi. e. he scaled or climbed over the wall. all means, he leaped against and attacked him. (sawwara) means, he built a wall round the town (Aqrab & Lane). 3393. Commentary: It appears from history that though Israelite power was at its height in the reigns of David and Solomon, mischief-mongers tried to stir up discord and disaffection; and false charges were constantly raked up and spread against them and some evil- minded persons even sought to kill David. It is to one such attempt at David's life that reference has been made in the verse under comment. Two of his enemies scaled the wall of his private chamber with the intention of taking him unawares and killing him, but finding him on his guard and realizing that their plan had miscarried they tried to put him at ease and pretended as if they were seek his decision in a dispute. David, merely two litigants who had come to however, rightly understood their evil afraid of them. intention, and so naturally he was 3394. Commentary: This verse refers to the story which the two intending murderers of David, finding him quite vigilant, 2720