His saying: "And We had certainly tried before them," meaning: We tested before them "the people of Pharaoh" with the religion, just as in His saying: "And indeed, We were testers," meaning: testers with the religion.
قَوْله: ﴿وَلَقَد فتنا قبلهم﴾ أَي: اختبرنا قبلهم ﴿قَوْمَ فِرْعَوْنَ﴾ بِالدّينِ؛ كَقَوْلِه: ﴿وَإِنْ كُنَّا لَمُبْتَلِينَ﴾ لمختبرين بِالدّينِ.
