THUS, INDEED, have We sent Moses with Our messages unto Pharaoh and his great ones; and he said: "Behold, I am an apostle of the Sustainer of all the worlds!" 46 But as soon as he came before them with Our [miraculous] signs, lo! they derided them, 47 (Even though) each miracle that We showed them was greater than the other. So We seized them with chastisement so that they may turn back. 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 had relieved them of their punishment they broke their promise. 50 Then Pharaoh made a proclamation to his people: 'My people, is the kingdom of Egypt not mine and these rivers which flow beneath me? What, can you not see? 51 Am I not better than this contemptible (man), who can scarcely make things clear (because of the impediment of his speech)? 52 Why were bracelets of gold not bestowed upon him? Why did a retinue of angels not accompany him as attendants?” 53 Thus he [Fir'aun (Pharaoh)] befooled and misled his people, and they obeyed him. Verily, they were ever a people who were Fasiqun (rebellious, disobedient to Allah). 54 So when they incurred Our wrath, We exacted retribution from them, and drowned them all, 55 And We made them a precedent and an ensample unto those after. 56