16وَلَقَد آتَينا بَني إِسرائيلَ الكِتابَ وَالحُكمَ وَالنُّبُوَّةَ وَرَزَقناهُم مِنَ الطَّيِّباتِ وَفَضَّلناهُم عَلَى العالَمينَMuhammad AsadAND, INDEED, [already] unto the children of Israel did We vouchsafe revelation, and wisdom, and prophethood;1 and We provided for them sustenance out of the good things of life, and favoured them above all other people [of their time].2Sc., "in the same way and for the same purpose as We now bestow this revelation of the Qur'an" thus stressing the fact of continuity in all divine revelation.I.e., inasmuch as at that time they were the only truly monotheistic community (cf. 2:47).