they meant, 'Do thou become deaf'; such wickedness used they to perpetrate."

It thus appears that the "twisting" and "dislocation" of words, consisted in such sayings as سمعنا we have heard, with the addition perhaps in an under voice of ( وعصينا ) and have disobeyed, and( أسمع غيرمسمع ) hearken, without hearing, similarly uttered; and ( راعنا ) look upon us, used with an insulting meaning.

This is called in the text لياً بألسنتهم —twisting with their tongues which Jelalooddeen explains to be identical in meaning with the word dislocating previously used ( لياً تحريفاً بالسنتهم ) "TWISTING, i.e. dislocating (or perverting) with their tongues." It hence follows that the perversion and dislocation, of which the Jews were accused, were of the nature exemplified in the text, and had no reference at all to any perversion or dislocation by the Jews of the Scriptures themselves.

The tenor of the passage is, on the contrary, distinctly to "confirm," "attest," or "certify," that Scripture which was with them; namely, the inspired books then in the hands of the Jews. So far from there being any imputation against these Scriptures as they then stood, in the hands of the Jews of Medîna and of their brethren scattered over the world, they are attested as true and authoritative.

The text refers, according to the Commentators, to certain Jews who, when consulted by the Coreish as to the real value of Islâm, declared that their idolatry was better then the false faith of Mahomet. It has not much bearing on the present question, except as showing the hatred which had grown up between the Jews and Mahomet.