'And We taught him the making of garments (labus) for you,' meaning: coats of mail for war, 'to protect you from your violence,' meaning: fighting.
Qatada said: 'Before David, they were [solid] plates, and the first to craft these rings and rivet them was David.'
Muhammad said: 'It is read as "li-yuhassinakum" (to protect you, masculine) and "li-tuhassinakum" (to protect you, feminine). Whoever reads it with the "ya" means: for the armor (labus) to protect you; and whoever reads it with the "ta" treats it as referring to the craft (san'a), because it is feminine.'
﴿وعلمناه صَنْعَة لبوس لكم﴾ يَعْنِي: دُرُوعَ الْحَرْبِ ﴿لِتُحْصِنَكُمْ مِنْ بأسكم﴾ يَعْنِي: الْقِتَالَ.
قَالَ قَتَادَةُ: كَانَتْ قَبْلَ دَاوُدَ صَفَائِحَ، وَأَوَّلُ مَنْ صَنَعَ هَذِهِ الْحِلَقَ وَسَمَّرَهَا: دَاوُدُ.
قَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ: تُقْرَأُ ﴿لِيُحَصِنَكُمْ﴾ بِالْيَاءِ وَالتَّاءِ؛ فَمَنْ قَرَأَ بِالْيَاءِ فَالْمَعْنَى: لِيُحَصِنَكُمُ اللَّبُوسُ، وَمِنْ قَرَأَ بِالتَّاءِ فَكَأَنَّهُ عَلَى الصَّنْعَةِ؛ لِأَنَّهَا أُنْثَى.
