According to Taberî, the word 'ummî' means a person who does not know writing among the Arabs; this qualification is made in relation to the mother, not the father, because writing was a man's work and a man who did not know writing would be attributed to his mother out of ignorance. Furthermore, different reports are transmitted regarding the interpretation of the word 'wayl': some explain it as punishment, while others describe it as pus/blood flowing in the depths of Hell or a valley. The text also transmits that some people from the Children of Israel sold a book they wrote with their own hands, claiming it came from Allah, for a small price, and that they altered the description of Prophet Muhammad in the Torah.

وذلك أن الأمي عند العرب هو الذي لا يكتب. قال أبو جعفر: وأرى أنه قيل للأمي أمي نسبة له بأنه لا يكتب إلى أمه ، لأن الكتاب كان في الرجال دون النساء، فنسب من لا يكتب ولا يخط من الرجال إلى أمه في جهله بالكتابة دون أبيه

This text discusses the grammatical relationship between the verb 'yugashshîkum' and the word 'emeneten' mentioned in the verse; according to Zemahşerî, because sleep (nu'âs) and security/peace (emn) belong to the same people, the word 'emeneten' takes the accusative case as the object of the verb 'te'nûsûne'. Furthermore, it notes that 'emeneten' can also mean 'îmân', or through metaphorical attribution, that fear prevents sleep, and their sleeping occurs as a result of Allah granting peace to their hearts.

ولكن لما كان معنى يغشاكم النعاس . تنعسون ، انتصب أمنة على أن النعاس والأمنة لهم . والمعنى : إذ تنعسون أمنة بمعنى أمنا ، أي لأمنكم ، و { منه } صفة لها : أي أمنة حاصلة لكم من الله عز وجل

According to this exegete, the phrase 'biaydîhim' either emphasizes that the act of writing is accomplished with their own hands or carries an intention of emphasis against the deniers. Then, selling the book for a small price shows the ultimate point of their wickedness and reveals that they did this tahrif not in the name of religion but to obtain wealth and position; this also indicates that acquiring wealth through unlawful means is forbidden even if done willingly. The repeated mention of 'wayl' in connection with gain (kesb) is to show that both the writing and receiving money in exchange for this writing are separate grave sins, and therefore the threat is directed not only at the combination of the two but at each one separately.

الثاني : أنه يدل على أنهم ما فعلوا ذلك التحريف ديانة بل إنما فعلوه طلبا للمال والجاه / وهذا يدل على أن أخذ المال على الباطل وإن كان بالتراضي فهو محرم

Kurtubî transmits different reports regarding the reason for the revelation of this verse: according to a report from Ibn Abbas, the verse was revealed about Ali b. Abi Talib, who had four dirhams which he gave as charity night and day, secretly and openly. Ibn Juraij reports that it was revealed about a man who did this action, but the person's name is not specified as either Ali or someone else. According to Katâda, the verse was revealed generally about people who spend without extravagance or stinginess.

وروي عن بن عباس أنه قال : نزلت في علي بن أبي طالب رضي الله عنه كانت معه أربعة دراهم فتصدق بدرهم ليلا وبدرهم نهارا وبدرهم سرا وبدرهم جهرا

According to Ibn Kesîr, this verse targets Jewish religious scholars (ahbâr) who altered the Torah, claimed that the words they wrote with their own hands came from Allah, and sold them for a small price, eating people's wealth through falsehood. The expression 'wayl' directed at them informs of the destruction and punishment that will come both from their false writing and from the unlawful gain they obtained in this way. The exegete also transmits different meanings of the word 'wayl' in lexicography and hadith reports (a valley in Hell, a mountain, the severity of punishment, etc.), thereby expanding the semantic framework of the word.

هؤلاء صنف آخر من اليهود وهم الدعاة إلى الضلال بالزور والكذب على الله وأكل أموال الناس بالباطل والويل الهلاك والدمار وهي كلمة مشهورة في اللغة

According to Beydâwî, the 'ummîs' mentioned in this verse are people who do not know how to read and write the Scripture, and therefore cannot personally examine and verify the Torah; what they know from the Scripture is merely baseless beliefs and empty promises they take through imitation from those who altered it (such as that only Jews enter Paradise, or that the fire will only touch them for a few days). In the following verse, the expression 'wayl' is a threat and curse directed at those who altered the Scripture, wrote it with their own hands, presented it as coming from Allah, and thus sought to obtain worldly small benefit (bribe).

ومنهم أميون لا يعلمون الكتاب جهلة لا يعرفون الكتابة فيطالعوا التوراة، ويتحققوا ما فيها. أو التوراة إلا أماني استثناء منقطع. والأماني: جمع أمنية وهي في الأصل ما يقدره الإنسان في نفسه من منى إذا قدر، ولذلك تطلق، على الكذب وعلى ما يتمنى وما يقرأ والمعنى لكن يعتقدون أكاذيب أخذوها تقليدا من المحرفين أو مواعيد فارغة.