Surah Ad Dukhan Tafseer

And indeed We saved the Children of Israel from the humiliating torment from Fir`awn; verily, he was arrogant and was of the excessive.

Here Allah reminds them of how He saved them from their humiliation and subjugation at the hands of Fir`awn, when they were forced to do menial tasks.

(verily, he was arrogant),

means, he was proud and stubborn.

This is like the Ayah:

إِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ عَلَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ

Verily, Fir`awn exalted himself in the land, (28:4)

فَاسْتَكْبَرُواْ وَكَانُواْ قَوْماً عَـلِينَ

but they behaved insolently and they were people self-exalting, (23:46)

He was one of the excessive and held a foolish opinion of himself.

وَلَقَدِ اخْتَرْنَاهُمْ عَلَى عِلْمٍ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ