Children of Israel, remember My blessing wherewith I blessed you, and that I have preferred you above all beings; 47 Then guard yourselves against a day when one soul shall not avail another nor shall intercession be accepted for her, nor shall compensation be taken from her, nor shall anyone be helped (from outside). 48 Remember, We saved you from the Pharaoh's people who wronged and oppressed you and slew your sons but spared your women: In this was a great favour from your Lord. 49 And when We split the sea for you thereby rescuing you, and drowned the Firaun's people in front of your eyes. 50 We appointed for Moses forty nights [on Mount Sinai], and in his absence you took to worshipping the calf, and thus became transgressors. 51 Afterwards, We forgave you so that you would perhaps appreciate Our favors. 52 We gave Moses the Book and the criteria (of discerning right from wrong) so that perhaps you would be rightly guided. 53 And when Moses said unto his people: O my people! Ye have wronged yourselves by your choosing of the calf (for worship) so turn in penitence to your Creator, and kill (the guilty) yourselves. That will be best for you with your Creator and He will relent toward you. Lo! He is the Relenting, the Merciful. 54 And when you said, 'Moses, we will not believe thee till we see God openly'; and the thunderbolt took you while you were beholding. 55 Then We raised you up after you were dead, that haply you should be thankful. 56 And We gave you the shade of clouds and sent down to you Manna and quails, saying: "Eat of the good things We have provided for you:" (But they rebelled); to us they did no harm, but they harmed their own souls. 57 And (remember) when We said: "Enter this town (Jerusalem) and eat bountifully therein with pleasure and delight wherever you wish, and enter the gate in prostration (or bowing with humility) and say: 'Forgive us,' and We shall forgive you your sins and shall increase (reward) for the good-doers." 58 But the harmdoers tampered with Our Words, different from that said to them, and We let loose on the harmdoers a scourge from heaven as a punishment for their debauchery. 59