And when it was as if it was said: Which people? He said, indicating that the two phrases have the same meaning, because they are deeply rooted in injustice. This is due to their injustice against themselves through disbelief and otherwise, and the injustice of the Children of Israel and others among the servants: ﴿the people of Pharaoh﴾.

And when the purpose of the message was to frighten them from Allah, the Exalted, and to inform them of His majesty, he began his saying, making this known in the context of rebuking them. He indicated the severity of His anger towards them, and recorded their injustice, and expressed astonishment at their state in their great oppression therein. And that His delay in punishing them has been long, while they only increase in arrogance and persistence in the grave sins: ﴿Do they not fear?﴾ meaning: that piety should arise from them.