Overall meaning : The Almighty mentions that after Noah, He sent messengers to their respective people with miracles and proofs attesting to the truthfulness of their message, but their idolatrous people would not believe in what they had denied and rejected before when they were sent to them. Just as Allah sealed up the hearts of these people so much so that they did not believe, so too He seals up the hearts of the transgressors who violate Allah’s limits by persisting in their unbelief and disobedience. Then, after these messengers, Allah sent forth Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh and his chiefs with signs and miracles proving their truthfulness, but they acted arrogantly and disdained to accept the truth, for they were a guilty people who were given to committing abominable sins and perpetrating odious crimes.
When the truth Moses had brought came to Pharaoh and his people, they said the signs Moses had brought them were nothing but clear, downright magic. Moses disapprovingly replied, 'Do you call the truth when it comes to you manifest magic?! Is what you see truly magic?! Magicians will never succeed in this life or in the life to come.’ Pharaoh and his chiefs said, 'Have you come to turn us away from the faith of our forefathers and to worship Allah alone and give up the worship of our gods, so that you and Aaron may have absolute power and control over the land of Egypt? We do not believe that you are truly Allah’s messengers.’