Quran Universe
7:162

فَبَدَّلَ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ مِنۡهُمۡ قَوۡلًا غَيۡرَ ٱلَّذِي قِيلَ لَهُمۡ فَأَرۡسَلۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ رِجۡزٗا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَظۡلِمُونَ

Fabaddala allatheena thalamoo minhum qawlan ghayra allathee qeela lahum faarsalna AAalayhim rijzan mina alssamai bima kanoo yathlimoona

But those who wronged among them changed [the words] to a statement other than that which had been said to them. So We sent upon them a punishment from the sky for the wrong that they were doing.

Word by word
  1. فَبَدَّلَBut changed
  2. ٱلَّذِينَthose who
  3. ظَلَمُواْwronged
  4. مِنۡهُمۡamong them
  5. قَوۡلًاword
  6. غَيۡرَother than
  7. ٱلَّذِي(that) which
  8. قِيلَwas said
  9. لَهُمۡto them
  10. فَأَرۡسَلۡنَاSo We sent
  11. عَلَيۡهِمۡupon them
  12. رِجۡزٗاtorment
  13. مِّنَfrom
  14. ٱلسَّمَآءِthe sky
  15. بِمَاbecause
  16. كَانُواْthey were
  17. يَظۡلِمُونَdoing wrong
Al-A'raf · 7:162Makkah

They were given a word and changed it.

Swapping a simple command for their own version

What happened
the word givenask forgiveness
replaced by
another wordof their own
brought
punishmentfor their wrong
The small change
just a tweakclose enough
a refusalof what Allah said

Those who did wrong among them changed the word that had been told to them. Instead of the humble request for forgiveness, they said something else. So a punishment came from the sky for the wrong they were doing.

Your parent asks you to apologize to your sister. You say sorry you feel that way. The words are close, but the meaning is gone. Changing the instruction while pretending to follow it is still disobedience.

As long as I do something close to what was asked, it counts.

Twisting a clear instruction into my own version is a quiet refusal.

Try this

Pick one thing you were asked to do, by Allah or a person you owe. Do it exactly as asked today.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 7:160)

And We divided them into twelve tribes (as distinct) nations. We revealed to Musa when his people asked him for water (saying): "Strike the stone with your stick," and there gushed forth out of it twelve springs, each group knew its own place for water. We shaded them with the clouds and sent down upon them the manna and the quail (saying): "Eat of the good things with which We have provided you." They harmed Us not but they used to harm themselves (160)And (remember) when it was said to them: "Dwell in this town (Jerusalem) and eat therefrom wherever you wish, and say, '(O Allah) forgive our sins'; and enter the gate prostrating (bowing with humility). We shall forgive you your wrongdoings. We shall increase (the reward) for the good-doers. (161)But those among them who did wrong, changed the word that had been told to them. So We sent on them a torment from the heaven in return for their wrongdoings (162)

We discussed these Ayat in Surat Al-Baqarah, which was revealed in Al-Madinah, while these Ayat were revealed in Makkah. We also mentioned the difference between the two narrations, and thus we do not need to repeat it here, all thanks are due to Allah and all the favors are from Him.