وَشَدَدنا مُلكَهُ وَآتَيناهُ الحِكمَةَ وَفَصلَ الخِطابِ

We made his kingdom firm and gave him wisdom and conclusive speech.

EXEGESIS

Shadadnā (we made firm) comes from shadd, meaning to tie something firmly.^{‎[1]Raghib, p. 447.} When something is tied firmly it is unshakeable and immovable, something that holds on strongly and is reliable, as in, We will strengthen (nashuddu) your arm by means of your brother (28:35). In this verse it means that God strengthened his kingdom and his status by giving him military strength, worldly power, wisdom, and the capacity to rule astutely.^{‎[2]Tibyan, 8/550; Tabari, 23/88; Mizan, 17/190.}

Faṣl al-khiṭāb (conclusive speech): faṣl means to cut off and to separate between two things, and khiṭāb is a discussion between two parties. The phrase is used when two groups argue amongst each other and the argument is cut off once correct and authoritative judgement is passed between them. As such, faṣl al-khiṭāb is used for judging wisely, justly, and authoritatively.^{‎[3]Nemuneh, 19/240.}

EXPOSITION

Earlier, we discussed the meaning of the astounding and wondrous worldly powers given to Prophet David (a), and because of this God says, We made his kingdom firm. No enemies dared oppose Prophet David (a) nor the might at his disposal. This allowed for him to dispense justice as he saw fit, without worrying about internal and external opposition. This is the seventh merit of Prophet David (a) in this surah.

As the eighth merit we are told that God gave him wisdom. This could be referring to knowledge and the wisdom required to be just, or alternatively it could mean prophethood.^{‎[4]Tabrisi, 8/732; Tabari, 23/88; Qurtubi, 15/162. It has also been said to refer specifically to the Psalms (Zabūr) of Prophet David (a); see Zamakhshari, 4/80.} Relevantly to the context, it has also been suggested it means his capacity to astutely rule over his kingdom.^{‎[5]Nemuneh, 19/239.}

The ninth merit relates closely to the quality of wisdom, whereby God relates that He gave him conclusive speech, which we explained earlier. This is foreshadowing what follows, as we are then immediately taken to the story of two arguing parties that came before Prophet David (a) in the following verses, and how Prophet David (a) passed judgement in his conclusive speech before them.

INSIGHTS FROM HADITH

1. From Aṣbagh ibn Nubātah, from Imam Ali (a): ‘Certainly, the Messenger of God (s) taught me a thousand doors of what is lawful and unlawful, and what was and what will be until the Day of Judgement. Each of these doors opened another thousand doors, until I learned about time of deaths and future calamities and final judgement (faṣl al-khiṭāb).’^{‎[6]Khisal, p. 643; Nur, 4/444. Similar narrations also exist in Kafi, 1/197-198; al-Ṣaffār, Baṣāʾir al-Darajāt, p. 139; apparently, these things were written in a book and passed on through the Ahl al-Bayt (Uyun, 2/224).}
2. From Yūnus ibn Ẓibyān, that Imam al-Ṣādiq (a) said: ‘O Yūnus! If you wish for authentic knowledge, it is with us, the Ahl al-Bayt. We have inherited it and have been given wisdom regarding God’s laws, and how to pass judgement (faṣl al-khiṭāb).’ I said: ‘O son of the Messenger of God, has everyone from the Ahl al-Bayt who is from the progeny of Ali and Fatimah – peace be upon them – inherited what you have inherited?’ He said: ‘No one has inherited it but the twelve Imams.’^{‎[7]Wasail, 27/72.}

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

Scholars have suggested various meanings for faṣl al-khiṭāb:

1. It is the position of dispensing judgement (qaḍāʾ) correctly.^{‎[8]Qurtubi, 15/162.}
2. It is the capacity to differentiate between right and wrong.^{‎[9]Zamakhshari, 4/80; Qurtubi, 15/162; Mizan, 17/190.}
3. It is the ability to say much in a few words.^{‎[10]Zamakhshari, 4/80; Qurtubi, 15/162.}
4. To speak clearly and unequivocally, in a way that the listener is not confused as to what the speaker is intending.^{‎[11]Zamakhshari, 4/80.}
5. It is the evidence presented by the claimant, or the oath sworn by the defendant (regarding his innocence).^{‎[12]Tibyan, 8/550; Tabari, 23/89. This is often attributed to Imam Ali (a). In some variants two witnesses have replaced either the oath or the evidence. See also Nur, 4/445.}
6. It is to say ammā baʿd (lit. as for then), and supposedly Prophet David (a) was the first to say it.^{‎[13]Tabari, 23/89; Zamakhshari, 4/80; Muhit, 9/146.} This is a common statement used in Arabic at the beginning of a speech after one is done exhorting God, and is used to mark the end of the exhortation and the beginning of the speech. In this sense it is a divider (faṣl) between two speeches (khiṭāb). It is unclear what the equivalent of this would have been in the language of Prophet David (a), or if indeed any equivalent existed. In any case this is a very simplistic interpretation.^{‎[14]Razi, 26/377, says that those who entertain such interpretations have been barred from understanding the Quran.}
7. That it means knowledge of various languages.^{‎[15]This is based on a narration attributed to Imam al-Riḍā (a); see Nur, 4/444.}

Since the first four of these are not necessarily mutually exclusive, some exegetes have argued for the wide scope of the statement, saying that Prophet David (a) was given faṣl al-khiṭāb in judgement, eloquence, and speech.^{‎[16]Tabari, 23/89.}

INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS

1. So David reigned over all Israel, and he administered justice and equity to all his people.^{‎[17]1 Chronicles 18:14.}

[1] Raghib, p. 447.
[2] Tibyan, 8/550; Tabari, 23/88; Mizan, 17/190.
[3] Nemuneh, 19/240.
[4] Tabrisi, 8/732; Tabari, 23/88; Qurtubi, 15/162. It has also been said to refer specifically to the Psalms (Zabūr) of Prophet David (a); see Zamakhshari, 4/80.
[5] Nemuneh, 19/239.
[6] Khisal, p. 643; Nur, 4/444. Similar narrations also exist in Kafi, 1/197-198; al-Ṣaffār, Baṣāʾir al-Darajāt, p. 139; apparently, these things were written in a book and passed on through the Ahl al-Bayt (Uyun, 2/224).
[7] Wasail, 27/72.
[8] Qurtubi, 15/162.
[9] Zamakhshari, 4/80; Qurtubi, 15/162; Mizan, 17/190.
[10] Zamakhshari, 4/80; Qurtubi, 15/162.
[11] Zamakhshari, 4/80.
[12] Tibyan, 8/550; Tabari, 23/89. This is often attributed to Imam Ali (a). In some variants two witnesses have replaced either the oath or the evidence. See also Nur, 4/445.
[13] Tabari, 23/89; Zamakhshari, 4/80; Muhit, 9/146.
[14] Razi, 26/377, says that those who entertain such interpretations have been barred from understanding the Quran.
[15] This is based on a narration attributed to Imam al-Riḍā (a); see Nur, 4/444.
[16] Tabari, 23/89.
[17] 1 Chronicles 18:14.