When Saul set forth with the army he said, "God will test you with a river. Those who drink its water will not be of my people and those who do not even taste the water or who only taste some of it from within the hollow of their hand, will be my friends. They all drank the water except a few of them. When Saul and those who believed in him crossed the river, his people said, "We do not have the strength to fight against Goliath and his army." Those who thought that they would meet God said, "How often, with God's permission, have small groups defeated the large ones?" God is with those who exercise patience. 249 When they appeared to Goliath and his soldiers, they said: 'Lord, pour upon us patience. Make us firm of foot and give us victory against the nation of unbelievers' 250 And they routed them, by the leave of God, and David slew Goliath; and God gave him the kingship, and Wisdom, and He taught him such as He willed. Had God not driven back the people, some by the means of others, the earth had surely corrupted; but God is bounteous unto all beings. 251 These are the verses of Allah which We recite to you, [O Muhammad], in truth. And indeed, you are from among the messengers. 252 ۞ Those messengers We endowed with gifts, some above others: To one of them Allah spoke; others He raised to degrees (of honour); to Jesus the son of Mary We gave clear (Signs), and strengthened him with the holy spirit. If Allah had so willed, succeeding generations would not have fought among each other, after clear (Signs) had come to them, but they (chose) to wrangle, some believing and others rejecting. If Allah had so willed, they would not have fought each other; but Allah Fulfilleth His plan. 253