(And We verily gave unto Moses the Scripture) i.e. the Torah, (and there was strife thereupon) about the Scripture of Moses: some believed in it while others did not; (and had it not been for a Word that had already gone forth) enjoined (from thy Lord) to delay His chastisement from your nation, (the case would have been judged between them) their destruction would have already happened and chastisement would have seized them, (and Lo! they are in grave doubt) manifest doubt (concerning it).