And when he mentioned his salvation, which was clear for their destruction, he stated it in a way that reflects the horror of it, using a tool of delay, for it was known more than once that it was after his departure. There was no interval between them, so he said: 'Then We destroyed,' meaning: We caused them to perish suddenly [as a solid, deaf blow at the height of calamity]. And how excellent is the expression about them with the term 'the others' to convey their delay in every aspect.