His saying, exalted and glorified is He: "Then We sent Moses and his brother Aaron with Our signs and a clear authority" to Pharaoh and his people, but they were arrogant and they were a people of high status. So they said, "Should we believe in two humans like us while their people are our servants?" So they denied them, and they were among the doomed.

"Then" here is in its proper place to arrange matters and to necessitate the delay. The "signs" that Moses and Aaron brought are the hand and the staff, which were associated with the challenge, and they are the "clear authority." Other signs of theirs, such as the sea and the six sendings, also fall under the general meaning of the term. As for other matters that occurred after the crossing of the sea, they are not for Pharaoh but are specific to the Children of Israel.

And "the elite" here refers to the collective, including the nobles and others. And "they were arrogant" means: they turned away from believing in Moses and his brother - peace be upon them - because they were disdainful of that. And "high status" means: they aimed for superiority through oppression and arrogance.

And His saying, exalted and glorified is He: "servants" means: subdued and humbled. From here, the Arabs of the desert were called the servants; because they entered among the Arabs in the obedience of Khosrow. This is one of the sayings regarding their naming. And the paved path is the humbled one, and the arrogance of these people is what Allah, exalted and glorified is He, mentioned in His saying: "That is the abode of the Hereafter, which We make for those who do not seek superiority in the earth nor corruption" [Al-Qasas: 83]. And His saying: "among the doomed" means: by drowning.