The people of Noah denied before them and the [disbelieving] factions after them, and every nation intended [a plot] for their messenger to seize him, and they disputed by [using] falsehood to [attempt to] invalidate thereby the truth. So I seized them, and how [terrible] was My penalty.
Before them, the people of Noah denied, as did the confederates after Noah, including 'Ad, Thamud, the people of Lot, the people of Madyan all denied. Pharaoh also denied. Every nation plotted against their Messenger, to capture and kill him. They argued with the falsehood that they had, to remove the truth with it. But I seized all those nations. So reflect over how my retribution against them was! It was a severe retribution.