لِنُحْيِيَ بِهِ بَلْدَةً مَّيْتًا
...
That We may give life thereby to a dead land,
means, a land that waited a long time for rain. It is devoid of vegetation or anything at all. When the rain comes to it, it becomes alive and its hills are covered with all kinds of colorful flowers, as Allah says:
فَإِذَا أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْهَا الْمَأءَ اهْتَزَّتْ وَرَبَتْ
but when We send down water to it, it is stirred to life and growth... (41:39)
His saying:
...
وَنُسْقِيَهُ مِمَّا خَلَقْنَا أَنْعَامًا وَأَنَاسِيَّ كَثِيرًا
and We give to drink thereof many of the cattle and men that We had created.
means, so that animals such as cattle can drink from it, and people who are in desperate need of water can drink from it and water their crops and fruits.
This is like the Ayah:
وَهُوَ الَّذِى يُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثَ مِن بَعْدِ مَا قَنَطُواْ
And He it is Who sends down the rain after they have despaired, (42:28)
فَانظُرْ إِلَى ءَاثَـرِ رَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ يُحْىِ الاٌّرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَأ
Look then at the effects of Allah's mercy, how He revives the earth after its death. (30:50)
His saying: