Tafsir of Al-`Ankabut 29:39

(And Korah, Pharaoh, and Haman...)

This is conjoined to "Ad" and "Thamud" [mentioned previously]. Korah is mentioned first because the intention is to console the Prophet (may Allah exalt his mention) regarding what he encountered from his people due to their envy of him, and Korah was of the people of Moses (peace be upon him) and encountered from him what he encountered.

Alternatively, it is because his state is more consistent with the state of Thamud, for he was among the most insightful and knowledgeable of people regarding the Torah, yet that insight did not avail him anything, just as their being insightful did not avail them anything.

Or, it is because his destruction preceded the destruction of Pharaoh and Haman, so prioritizing him corresponds to the reality.

Or, it is because he was more noble than Pharaoh and Haman due to his outward belief, his knowledge of the Torah, and his kinship with Moses (peace be upon him). In prioritizing him for this reason during a state of wrath, there is an indication that such nobility does not avail anything and does not save one from the wrath of Allah the Exalted due to disbelief.

(And Moses had come to them with clear proofs, but they were arrogant...)

Meaning, arrogant regarding faith and obedience.

(in the land...)

This is an indication of their lack of intelligence, for one who is upon the earth should not be arrogant.

(And they were not outstrippers...)

Meaning, they did not escape the command of Allah the Exalted, derived from the expression "his pursuer preceded him," meaning he escaped him and he did not catch him. Verily, His command caught up with them, a true catching up, so they were overtaken by destruction and ruin.

Abu Hayyan said: The meaning is, "And they were not the first of the nations to disbelieve," meaning that this was the custom of the nations with their messengers (peace be upon them). But this is not strong. Regardless, the apparent meaning is that the pronoun in "were" refers to Korah, Pharaoh, and Haman. It has also been said that the sentence is a conjunction to the implied "We destroyed" [mentioned] previously, and the pronoun in "were" refers to all those who were destroyed, and this [interpretation] provides better structure for the magnificent arrangement.