The Qur’an

“The People of Israel Ask to See God”

Sura 2

The Cow

55. And when you said: O Musa! we will not believe in you until we see Allah manifestly, so the punishment overtook you while you looked on.
56. Then We raised you up after your death that you may give thanks.

Sura 4

The Women

153. The followers of the Book ask you to bring down to them a book from heaven; so indeed they demanded of Musa a greater thing than that, for they said: Show us Allah manifestly; so the lightning overtook them on account of their injustice. Then they took the calf (for a god), after clear signs had come to them, but We pardoned this; and We gave to Musa clear authority.

The Bible

“The People of Israel Ask to See God”

Exodus

Chapter 20

18. And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.
19. And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.
20. And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not..

COMMENTARY:

In the Qur’an:

The Israelites wanted to see God before they would believe Moses. There followed a death and resurrection of the unbelievers so that they may be grateful to God.

In the Bible:

The people of Israel “…removed, and stood afar off.” and refused to hear from God directly: “…Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die…”. There was no death and resurrection of unbelievers followed by praising of God.