Quran Universe
5:70

لَقَدۡ أَخَذۡنَا مِيثَٰقَ بَنِيٓ إِسۡرَـٰٓءِيلَ وَأَرۡسَلۡنَآ إِلَيۡهِمۡ رُسُلٗاۖ كُلَّمَا جَآءَهُمۡ رَسُولُۢ بِمَا لَا تَهۡوَىٰٓ أَنفُسُهُمۡ فَرِيقٗا كَذَّبُواْ وَفَرِيقٗا يَقۡتُلُونَ

Laqad akhathna meethaqa banee israeela waarsalna ilayhim rusulan kullama jaahum rasoolun bima la tahwa anfusuhum fareeqan kaththaboo wafareeqan yaqtuloona

We had already taken the covenant of the Children of Israel and had sent to them messengers. Whenever there came to them a messenger with what their souls did not desire, a party [of messengers] they denied, and another party they killed.

Word by word
  1. لَقَدۡCertainly
  2. أَخَذۡنَاWe took
  3. مِيثَٰقَa Covenant
  4. بَنِيٓ(from the) Children
  5. إِسۡرَـٰٓءِيلَ(of) Israel
  6. وَأَرۡسَلۡنَآand We sent
  7. إِلَيۡهِمۡto them
  8. رُسُلٗاۖMessengers
  9. كُلَّمَاWhenever
  10. جَآءَهُمۡcame to them
  11. رَسُولُۢany Messenger
  12. بِمَاwith what
  13. لَاnot
  14. تَهۡوَىٰٓdesired
  15. أَنفُسُهُمۡtheir souls
  16. فَرِيقٗاa group
  17. كَذَّبُواْthey denied
  18. وَفَرِيقٗاand a group
  19. يَقۡتُلُونَthey kill
Al-Ma'idah · 5:70Madinah

They kept the parts that suited them.

When guidance clashes with what we want

The pattern
a covenanthear and obey
then
a messenger camewith what they disliked
met with
denial or worsesome denied, some killed
How they chose
agrees with meaccept it
goes against medrop it
instead
the whole covenanteven what I dislike

Allah reminds that He took a covenant from the Children of Israel and sent them messengers. Ibn Kathir explains that whatever part of the law agreed with their desires, they took; the rest they left. When a messenger brought what they disliked, some denied him and some killed him.

A friend tells you, kindly, that the way you speak to your mother is harsh. Last week you loved her advice about your career. This week you decide she does not understand you. Notice the filter: you accept guidance until it costs you something.

I take the advice that makes sense to me and ignore the rest.

Guidance that goes against my wants is often the part I need most.

Try this

Think of one piece of advice you brushed off because it stung. Give it one honest minute today.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

Verily, We took the covenant of the Children of Israel and sent Messengers to them. Whenever there came to them a Messenger with what they themselves desired not, a group of them they called liars, and others among them they killed (70)They thought there will be no Fitnah (trial or punishment), so they became blind and deaf; after that Allah turned to them (with forgiveness); yet again many of them became blind and deaf. And Allah is the All-Seer of what they do (71)

Allah reminds that He took the covenant and pledges from the Children of Israel to hear and obey Him and His Messenger. They broke these pledges and covenants and followed their lusts and desires instead of the law, and whichever part of the law they agreed with, they took it. Otherwise, they abandoned it, if it did not conform to their desires. This is why Allah said,

كُلَّمَا جَاءَهُمْ رَسُولٌ بِمَا لَا تَهْوَىٰ أَنفُسُهُمْ فَرِيقًا كَذَّبُوا وَفَرِيقًا يَقْتُلُونَ - وَحَسِبُوا أَلَّا تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ فَعَمُوا وَصَمُّوا

(Whenever there came to them a Messenger with what they themselves desired not - a group of them they called liars, and others among them they killed. They thought there will be no Fitnah (trial or punishment) so they became blind and deaf.)

thinking that they would suffer no repercussions for of the evil that they committed. Consequently, they were blinded from the truth and became deaf, incapable of hearing the truth. For these reasons they were unable to be guided by it. Allah forgave that, then,

عَمُوا وَصَمُّوا

(yet they became blind and deaf) again,

كَثِيرٌ مِّنْهُمْ وَاللَّهُ بَصِيرٌ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ

(many of them, and Allah is the All-Seer of what they do.) He has perfect knowledge of what they do and whomever among them deserves the guidance and whomever deserves misguidance.