"And Aaron had indeed said to them before," meaning: before Moses returned to them when they took the calf as a god, "O my people, you have only been tempted by it," meaning: by the calf, "and indeed your Lord is the Most Merciful, so follow me and obey my order."
﴿وَلَقَدْ قَالَ لَهُمْ هَارُونُ مِنْ قبل﴾ أَيْ: مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ يَرْجِعَ إِلَيْهِمْ مُوسَى حِينَ اتَّخَذُوا الْعِجْلَ ﴿يَا قَوْمِ إِنَّمَا فُتِنْتُمْ بِهِ﴾ يَعْنِي: الْعِجْلَ ﴿وَإِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ الرَّحْمَنُ فَاتَّبِعُونِي وَأَطِيعُوا أَمْرِي﴾
