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 Such were the towns whose story We (thus) relate unto thee: There came indeed to them their messengers with clear (signs): But they would not believe what they had rejected before. Thus doth Allah seal up the hearts of those who reject faith. 101 And We did not find for most of them any covenant; but indeed, We found most of them defiantly disobedient. 102 AND AFTER those [early people] We sent Moses with Our messages unto Pharaoh and his great ones, and they wilfully rejected them: and behold what happened in the end to those spreaders of corruption! 103 And Moses said: "O Pharaoh! Verily, I am an apostle from the Sustainer of all the worlds, 104 worthy to say nothing regarding God except the truth. I have brought a clear sign to you from your Lord; so send forth with me the Children of Israel.' 105 [Pharaoh] said, "If you have come with a sign, then bring it forth, if you should be of the truthful." 106 He threw down his staff, and it was clearly a serpent. 107 Then he drew out his hand, and it appeared luminous to all beholders. 108