According to Taberî, 'Tûr' in the verse means mountain, and he reports that Allah lifted the mountain from its roots over the heads of the Children of Israel so they would accept the Torah. The Children of Israel first questioned the rulings of the Torah, returned to Moses repeatedly, and finally prostrated in fear when confronted with the threat of the mountain. This prostration was accepted as a prostration that pleased Allah and became a Sunnah. The expression 'bi kuvvetin' (take it with strength) is explained as seriously implementing what was commanded in the Torah.

إني لأعلم خلق الله لأي شيء سجدت اليهود على حرف وجوههم، لما رفع الجبل فوقهم سجدوا وجعلوا ينظرون إلى الجبل مخافة أن يقع عليهم، قال: فكانت سجدة رضيها الله، فاتخذوها سنة

According to this exegete, the expression 'hold the book with strength' can have several meanings: either not forgetting the commands and prohibitions within it and implementing them with resolve, or remembering the great reward promised within it and being inclined towards it. Furthermore, the verse can also be understood as: if you are able, take this great verse/miracle that We gave you with strength; this points to Allah's power and contains a warning.

أو اذكروا ما فيه من التعريض للثواب العظيم فارغبوا فيه . ويجوز أن يراد : خذوا ما آتيناكم من الآية العظيمة بقوة إن كنتم تطيقونه

According to Kurtubî, the 'nete' (lifting of the mountain) mentioned in this verse describes the event where Allah uprooted the mountain and held it like a shadow over the Children of Israel because they refused to accept the Torah; the expression 'bikuvvetin' means taking the book seriously, with effort and sincerity, and acting accordingly, not merely reciting it verbally. Kurtubî also transmits different reports about which mountain Tur was, its name, and the reason for its elevation.

قلت : هذا هو المقصود من الكتب العمل بمقتضاها لا تلاوتها باللسان وترتيلها فإن ذلك نبد لها على ما قاله الشعبي وبن عيينة

Ibn Kesîr explains the word 'strength' (quwwah) in the expression 'hold the book with strength' in the verse through transmissions from exegetes: according to Hasan, this refers to the Torah; Abu al-Aliyah and Rabi' b. Anes interpret 'strength' as obedience, Mujahid as acting upon its contents, and Qatadah as seriousness/effort. He then mentions that the Children of Israel accepted and agreed to take what was given to them with strength when threatened by the mountain being made to fall upon them.

وقال أبو العالية والربيع بن أنس بقوة أي بطاعة وقال مجاهد ( بقوة ) بعمل بما فيه وقال قتادة القوة الجد وإلا قذفته عليكم قال فأقروا بذلك أنهم يأخذون ما أوتوا بقوة

According to Beydâvî, this verse narrates how, because the Children of Israel did not accept the heavy obligations in the Torah, Gabriel uprooted the Tur mountain and made it a shadow over them, resulting in their accepting the covenant. What was required of them was to take the Book given to them with seriousness and resolve, to memorize its contents and not forget them, to reflect upon them, or to act according to them; the purpose of this was to refrain from sins. Afterwards they broke the covenant and turned away, but had it not been for Allah's favor and mercy—making them repent or sending Muhammad—they would have been among the losers.

روي أن موسى عليه الصلاة والسلام لما جاءهم بالتوراة فرأوا ما فيها من التكاليف الشاقة كبرت عليهم وأبوا قبولها، فأمر جبريل عليه السلام فقلع الطور فظلله فوقهم حتى قبلوا

This text states that the zakat mentioned in the verse is obligatory zakat, because zakat did not exist in Mecca and zakat was made obligatory later; it reports that those who explain zakat as obligatory zakat consider the end of the chapter to be Medinan. It also states that the expression 'zahira' indicates that every zakat is obligatory.

لأنه لم يكن بمكة زكاة وإنما وجبت بعد ذلك