Do you believe that your interpretation that the twelve springs signify the Twelve Imams is one that is understood through this verse alone? Or does it need to be placed with other verses that also include the number twelve for one to reach that conclusion?
Understood by who? Rasool would understand it first time in it's context and know it's significant without the other verses with twelve.
We can understand it by context. However the verses that all talk about the covenant help make it clear to everyone if they reflect over them all. Of course what is clear to a person and what degree of reflection with other verses is necessary all depends on the mind and heart.
I strongly disagree. One can only understand it in the way you did with the preconception that the number twelve refers to the Imams.
I believe that Allah is just and would not punish people for failing to solve this puzzle.
However, since you disagree and believe that any person could understand it the way you did, I propose a little test. Print out some copies of the verses in question along with the context and run up to any random non-Muslim on the street. Tell them that you are working on some research and that you'd like a couple of minutes of their time. Present them with these verses and without explaining anything to them see if they arrive at your conclusion.
There are some verses which are associated with others, and will become clear in purpose, if one understands the importance of the others.
One has to understand God's style in Quran with regards to Bani-Israel, what other verses have said about that, for example, in Suratal Noor, when it says God has given a description of those before us, and admonishment to us, before it describes the parable of light.
I however did do this, with the verses before and leading up to the Ulil-Amr including the Ulil-Amr verse. I've asked non-Muslims what they think about them, does it give clear impression those who hold authority are meant religious divine authority and are appointed by God or do you think it can mean rulers or religious scholars not appointed by God.
A Christian told me he clearly sees that it must mean those who are chosen by God and that is the clear context.
However, I know aside from this, is that Shayateen try to make people recite the Quran heedlessly.
A non-Muslim doesn't understand the admonishing nature of Quran, that no words are picked that are not important, but as Quran says they are picked things about Messengers that are of most significance and best for us as admonishment, and it's the best words picked for us.
Naturally Quran says anyone who fears God will enter paradise, and much of Quran is trying to get people to gain the wisdom of fearing God.
It tries to awaken people with how Iblis thought of himself as a sincere worshiper of God but when tested with Adam, failed to show sincerity to God.
It tries to warn that many Jews thought they were righteous through following and imitating scholars, but loved their scholars to the extent they disobeyed God and his Messengers. That love is love towards their identity and stems from that, and it was not out of sincere devotion to God.
If people understand the negation of authority of scholars in Quran, and how much Surahs have been devoted to that, teaching rather all people are commanded to be religious scholars who have zuhd of dunya and teach knowledge and wisdom to others, and there shouldn't be a class system or elite few who take this responsibility, lest those who find a truth cannot express it due to people holding on to a class of society instead of making the affair of religion consultation between ourselves and sincere devotion to judging by what God revealed...
If you understand how important it is not to blindly follow scholars....
If you understand that God appointed guides who guide to the truth among bani-Israel, and that they had a rope from God and rope from humanity combined as the rope of God, if you understand that God made the path of submission easy but just requires some sincerity on our part.
Then Quran talk of the past, becomes talk of the present, and you begin to learn how God speaks.
When it says "so they became deaf and blind....", you will understand how it pertains to this umma.
When you look at the various paraphrasing in Quran of Harun's position and Musa's prayer and read Suratal Inshirah, you know Ali is being said to be the name of God.
When you read the various paraphrasing of the covenant, you will understand the significance of all and each verse pertaining to it.
No verse in Quran is to be belittled. Anything that is unclear is either to shortcoming on our part or Seher from Shayateen.
Otherwise Quran clarifies itself.
We know the wage verse 42:23 is unclear to you as well, and we know anything about Imams or chosen ones after Mohammad is going to be unclear to you.
You are bent on using blindness of others or yourself as proof of Quranic verses being unclear.
But one thing I assure, when humanity is raised up on the day of judgment, it is then they will know how clear Quran was all the time. It was then they know how they belittled God's communications and were unjust to his verses and guidance.
They will know how clear it proved God and his Oneness, they will know how clearly it proved God's Prophets and the position of the family of Mohammad.
None of this will they blame on God not making it clear enough, but will blame themselves. They will know they were vehement on denial out of injustice and purposely turned their ears away from the truth and blinded themselves purposely to clear words and clear proofs.