Tafsir of Al-Baqarah 2:92

(And indeed Moses came to you with clear proofs) falls under the command, so it is part of the completion of the rebuke and scolding. The same applies to what follows; it is not a repetition of what was related previously. By (clear proofs) is meant the evidences indicating his truthfulness, peace be upon him, in his call, and the miracles supporting his prophethood, such as the staff, the hand, and the parting of the sea, for example. It was said: The more apparent meaning is that it refers to the evidences for monotheism, as it is more pertinent to the reproach that follows. In my view, interpreting it broadly to include that as well is better and more apparent.

Then you took the calf—meaning that which the Samiri fashioned for you from your ornaments—as a god (after him), meaning after the arrival of Moses, peace be upon him, with them. Whoever includes the Torah and the gushing forth of water from it [the rock] does not intend the entirety, but rather the genus, because those occurred after the story of the calf. The word (then) in this context is for [indicating] distance in rank, lest the restriction be vain. It may be said that the pronoun refers to a preceding meaning, which is the departure to the Mount; thus, the word (then) is in its literal sense, and the counting of what we mentioned among the clear proofs is then evident. This conjunction indicates that they did so after a period of contemplation regarding the signs, which is a greater sin and more heinous in their state.

Some held the view that the pronoun returns to the "clear proofs" by omitting the genitive, meaning: after contemplating the signs, so that this might become apparent. The return of the pronoun to the calf—meaning after its existence—as in "you worshipped that which came into being in your presence," so that the great reproach lies therein, is not hidden in its great far-fetchedness, which we have dispensed with by what we have pointed out.

(And you were wrongdoers) meaning: you were placing things in a place not befitting them, or you were violating the signs of Allah Almighty. The sentence is a circumstantial clause confirming the rebuke and threat, and it functions as a corroboration for intending "worship" from the word "taking." It contains an insinuation that they diverted worship from its original place to a place other than it, and an implication of exaggeration, in that the absolute term "wrongdoing" suggests that the worship of the calf is the entirety of wrongdoing, and that whoever commits it has left no form of wrongdoing untried.

Some chose for it to be a parenthetical clause to emphasize the entire sentence without addressing the description of the state required by the circumstantial [nature of the clause], meaning: "and you are a people whose habit is wrongdoing," and that the worship of the calf continued from you. The one who was led to this claimed that, according to the circumstantial [interpretation], it would be mere repetition, since the worship of the calf cannot be anything but wrongdoing. Conversely, in this [parenthetical] view, it is an exposition of a vice they possess that necessitates such [action]. There is negligence in this regarding what we have mentioned. If the "taking" is interpreted literally, such as "I took a ring," then the circumstantial [interpretation] is undoubtedly better, because "taking" does not necessarily constitute wrongdoing unless it is restricted by his worship of it, as is not hidden.