"And they said, 'The Fire will not touch us except for a number of days.'" Qatadah said: The Jews said, 'God will not cause us to enter the Fire except for the number of days we worshipped the calf,' meaning: when those days expire, the punishment will be cut off from us. God, may His mention be exalted, said to the Prophet (peace be upon him): 'Say to them, "Have you taken a covenant with God?"'
﴿وَقَالُوا لَنْ تَمَسَّنَا النَّارُ إِلا أَيَّامًا مَعْدُودَة﴾ قَالَ قَتَادَة: قَالَتِ الْيَهُود: لن يدخلنا اللَّه النَّار إِلَّا عدد الْأَيَّام الَّتي عَبدنَا فِيهَا الْعجل؛ أَي: إِذا انْقَطَعت تِلْكَ الْأَيَّام، انْقَطع عَنَّا الْعَذَاب، قَالَ اللَّه - عز ذكره - للنَّبِي عليه السلام قل لَهُم: ﴿أتخذتم عِنْد الله عهدا﴾.
