Surah Saba: (10) And indeed, We gave David...

Issues in the Verse:

This phrase indicates the virtue bestowed upon David (peace be upon him).

The statement {And indeed, We gave David from Us a bounty} (wa laqad ātaynā Dāwūda minnā faḍlan) is complete and meaningful on its own, similar to saying, "I gave Zayd a robe of honor." If one says, "I gave him a robe of honor from me," it implies that this specific robe was among those things reserved exclusively for him. Similarly, while God's giving of bounty is general, prophethood is a specific bounty reserved for certain individuals, coming directly from Him.

This is like the verse: {Their Lord gives them good tidings of a mercy from Him and acceptance} (yubashshiruhum rabbuhum bi-raḥmatin min-hu wa riḍwān) (At-Tawbah: 21). God's mercy is vast and reaches everyone in this world, but His mercy in the Hereafter upon the believers is a specific mercy from Him reserved for His chosen ones, hence the phrasing: {Their Lord gives them good tidings of a mercy from Us}.

Al-Zamakhshari said that {O mountains} (yā jibālu) is a substitute (badal) for {a bounty} (faḍlan), meaning: "We gave him a bounty, [and We said,] 'O mountains, repeat with him.'" Alternatively, it could be a substitute for the verb ātaynā (We gave), meaning: "We gave [him], and We said, 'O mountains, repeat with him.'"

1. ūbbī (repeat/return): It has been recited with a shaddah (doubling) on the wāw (ūbbī), derived from al-ta’wīb (repetition/echoing). It has also been recited with a sukūn (stillness) on the wāw and a ḍammah on the hamzah (ūbī), derived from al-awb (return). Some scholars suggest its meaning is "to go along with him."
2. yusabbiḥūn (they glorify): This is derived from al-sibāḥah (swimming/moving freely), referring to a specific type of movement.

It has been recited with the accusative case (naṣb) (wa-ṭ-ṭayra), treating it as an object governed by the implied verb following the vocative (yā jibālu), thus following the grammatical position (maḥall). It has also been recited with the nominative case (raf‘) (wa-ṭ-ṭayru), following its form (lafẓ).

The ones who responded to him in glorification were not limited to the mountains and birds. However, the mountains were mentioned because rocks are characterized by rigidity/inertia, and birds by aversion/fleeing. Since agreement is unexpected from these two categories, if they agreed, then other things would certainly agree. Furthermore, among mankind, there are those whose hearts are harder than stones, who did not agree with him.

This is a conjunction (‘aṭf). The antecedent (ma‘ṭūf ‘alayhi) could be:

1. The implied command (qawl) in {O mountains, repeat} (yā jibālu ūbbī), meaning: We said, "O mountains, repeat," and We softened the iron.
2. The verb ātaynā (We gave), meaning: We gave him a bounty and We softened the iron for him.

God softened the iron for him until it was in his hand like wax. This is easy for God's power, as iron softens with fire and melts until it becomes like the ink used for writing. No rational person would doubt this power of God.

It is narrated that David asked God to make him self-sufficient so he would not have to eat from the public treasury (bayt al-māl). So, God softened the iron for him and taught him the craft of making coats of mail (armor), which are protective garments. God chose this for him because armor protects the soul—which is from God's command—and works to preserve the human being, who is honored by God, from being killed. Therefore, the craft of the armorer (al-zarrād) is superior to that of the archer (al-qawwās) or the swordsman, and others.

{ (11) [Commanding him]: "Make long coats of mail and measure the links precisely, and work righteousness. Indeed, I am, of what you do, Seeing.}