We also sent Moses with Our signs to Pharaoh and his Council, and he said, 'Surely, I am the Messenger of the Lord of all Being.' 46 But when he came to them with Our signs, lo! they laughed at them. 47 Of all the miracles which We showed to them the latter ones were greater than the former. We struck them with torment so that perhaps they would return to Us. 48 And [every time] they exclaimed: "O thou sorcerer! Pray for us to thy Sustainer on the strength of the covenant [of prophethood] which He has made with thee: for, verily, we shall now follow the right way!" 49 But when We removed from them the chastisement, behold, they broke their troth. 50 And Pharaoh proclaimed among his people, saying: "O my people! Does not the dominion of Egypt belong to me, (witness) these streams flowing underneath my (palace)? What! see ye not then? 51 Am I (not) better than him who is contemptible, and cannot even express himself clearly? 52 Why then have bracelets of gold not been cast on him, or angels not come with him conjoined?' 53 So when he had brainwashed his people, they followed him; indeed they were a disobedient nation. 54 When at length they provoked Us, We exacted retribution from them, and We drowned them all. 55 And We made them a precedent and example to the later generations. 56