Is it not a lesson for the successors of the past generations that had We wanted, We could have punished them for their sins, sealed their hearts and deprived them of hearing? 100 Unto those [earlier] communities - some of whose stories We [now] relate unto thee - there had indeed come apostles of their own with all evidence of the truth; but they would not believe in anything to which they had once given the lie: thus it is that God seals the hearts of those who deny the truth; 101 We did not find the covenant upheld by the majority of them, but We found most of them evildoers. 102 After those We sent forth Moses with Our signs to Pharaoh and his nobles, but they dealt with Our signs unjustly. Observe, then, what happened to the mischief-makers. 103 Moses said, "Pharaoh, I am a messenger from the Lord of the Universe, 104 incumbent upon me is that I say nothing of Allah except the truth. I bring you a clear proof from your Lord. So let the Children of Israel depart with me' 105 [Pharaoh] said, "If you have come with a sign, then bring it forth, if you should be of the truthful." 106 Thereupon [Moses] threw down his staff, and lo! it was a serpent, plainly visible; 107 and he drew forth his hand, and lo! it appeared [shining] white to the beholders. 108