أَوَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَيَنْظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ كَانُوا هُمْ أَشَدَّ مِنْهُمْ قُوَّةً وَآثَارًا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَأَخَذَهُمُ اللَّهُ بِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَمَا كَانَ لَهُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ مِنْ وَاقٍ ﴿۲۱﴾ ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانَتْ تَأْتِيهِمْ رُسُلُهُمْ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ فَكَفَرُوا فَأَخَذَهُمُ اللَّهُ إِنَّهُ قَوِيٌّ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ ﴿۲۲﴾ وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا مُوسَى بِآيَاتِنَا وَسُلْطَانٍ مُبِينٍ ﴿۲۳﴾ إِلَى فِرْعَوْنَ وَهَامَانَ وَقَارُونَ فَقَالُوا سَاحِرٌ كَذَّابٌ ﴿۲۴﴾ فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ بِالْحَقِّ مِنْ عِنْدِنَا قَالُوا اقْتُلُوا أَبْنَاءَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ وَاسْتَحْيُوا نِسَاءَهُمْ وَمَا كَيْدُ الْكَافِرِينَ إِلَّا فِي ضَلَالٍ ﴿۲۵﴾

﴾21﴿ Awalam yaseeroo fil ardi fa yanzuroo kaifa kaana 'aaqibatul lazeena kaanoo min qablihim; kaanoo hum ashadda minhum quwwatanw wa aasaaran fil ardi fa akhazahumul laahu bizunoobihim wa maa kaana lahum minal laahi minw waaq
﴾22﴿ Zaalika bi annahum kaanat taateehim Rusuluhum bilbaiyinaati fakafaroo fa akhazahumul laah; innahoo qawiyyun shadeedul 'iqaab
﴾23﴿ Wa laqad arsalnaa Moosaa bi Aayaatinaa wa sultaanim mubeen
﴾24﴿ Ilaa Fir'awna wa Haamaana wa Qaaroona faqaaloo saahirun kazzaab
﴾25﴿ Falamma jaaa'ahum bil haqqi min 'indinaa qaaluq tulooo abnaaa'al lazeena aamanoo ma'ahoo wastahyoo nisaaa'ahum; wa maa kaidul kaafireena illaa fee dalaal

﴾21﴿ Do they not travel through the land and see how the end of those before them was? They were stronger than them in power and had left many traces in the land. But Allah seized them for their sins, and they had no protector against Allah
﴾22﴿ This is because their messengers came to them with clear proofs, but they denied them. So Allah seized them. Indeed, Allah is All-Powerful and severe in punishment
﴾23﴿ And indeed, We sent Moses (peace be upon him) with Our signs and clear proofs
﴾24﴿ To Pharaoh, Haman, and Qarun, but they said, He is a sorcerer and a great liar
﴾25﴿ But when he brought them the truth from us, they said kill the sons of those who have believed with him and let their women live yet the schemes of the disbievers are nothing but in vain

[21] This relates to verse (5) and serves as a worldly warning to those who deny the claim of monotheism.
It is also evidence for (And those whom they call upon besides Him cannot decide anything) — meaning that the polytheists of the past were destroyed, and their deities did not save them.
(Traces in the land) refers to the roofs of their dwellings, walls, gates, and towers that still exist — like the ruins of the Thamūd.
[22] This is a specification of “for their sins” — meaning, their greatest sin among all their sins was the denial of the messengers and the clear proofs they brought regarding monotheism.
[23] This presents an example of worldly punishment as a warning, using as an example those who were mightier than them in strength.
[24] These three individuals are mentioned specifically because the cause of enmity toward Mūsā (peace be upon him) was: Pharaoh's kingship, Hāmān's position as minister, and Qārūn's wealth.
These three types of power — authority, political influence, and wealth — are most often those that stand against the truth.
[25] This command to kill was given so that people would not support Mūsā (peace be upon him) or believe in him.
The earlier command to kill was given so that Mūsā (peace be upon him) would not appear at all. The mention of this second killing is found in Surah Al-A‘rāf (127), and the mention of the first is in Surah Al-Baqarah (verse 49).
(And the plotting of the disbelievers) — this is the response to the question: "Did the plotting of Pharaoh’s people to carry out the killing prevent people from accepting faith?" The answer is that the plans and schemes of the disbelievers to block the truth are always in vain.