What is the meaning of the repetition of the word "kāna" (was/is) at the end of the verses in Surat An-Nisa, and does God intend its literal meaning?

Sometimes "kāna" (كان) is used in the sense of "lam yazal" (لم يزل - did not cease/ever since), and an example of this is what is mentioned in some verses of Surat An-Nisa (The Women). An illustration of this is the saying of Al-Mukhtar ibn Bunna: "And he resembled, and did not cease, much / Like Allah, who was, and ever since, All-Knowing, All-Seeing." And in the Qur'an, "kāna" (كان) is used in the sense of "mā zāla" (ما زال - continued to be/ever since) in His saying: "And Allah was (kāna) Ever-Knowing, All-Wise," meaning Allah did not cease to be All-Knowing, All-Wise.