And when He - glorified and exalted is He - alerted to contemplation; and it was a call for the rational to permit the possible; and to distance from danger; it caused the denial of security from that; so He said (the Most High): ﴿Do they feel secure﴾; meaning: Do they contemplate; so they repented; or did they continue in their arrogance? Do they feel secure ﴿those who plotted﴾; by scheming to kill the prophets; and extinguishing the light of Allah; which He sent them with; the plots ﴿of evil that﴾ they would be recompensed with the same type of their deeds; by that ﴿Allah would cause the earth to swallow them﴾; meaning: the One who encompasses everything; ﴿with them﴾; meaning: specifically; ﴿the earth﴾; so if they are in its belly; they cannot manage any kind of movement by resisting; nor anything else; as was done with Qarun and his companions; and with the people of Lut - peace be upon him -; before them; ﴿or the punishment should come to them﴾; in a manner other than that; ﴿from where they do not perceive﴾; it in a state of these two conditions; with some awareness; while they are in a state of stillness; and ease; by sleeping; or negligence;.