When Moses told his people, "Recall God's favors to you. He made Messengers and Kings out of your own people and gave you what He had not given to others- 20 O my people! Enter the holy land which God has promised you; but do not turn back [on your faith,] for then you will be lost!" 21 They answered: "O Moses! Behold, ferocious people - dwell in that land, and we will surely not enter it unless they depart therefrom; but if they depart therefrom, then, behold, we will enter it." 22 [Whereupon] two men from among those who feared [God, and] whom God had blessed, said: "Enter upon them through the gate - for as soon as you enter it, behold, you shall be victorious! And in God you must place your trust if you are [truly] believers!" 23 They said, 'Moses, we will never enter it so long as they are in it. Go forth, thou and thy Lord, and do battle; we will be sitting here.' 24 Moses supplicated, "Lord, I have power over none but myself and my brother; so separate us from the disobedient people." 25 [Allah] said, "Then indeed, it is forbidden to them for forty years [in which] they will wander throughout the land. So do not grieve over the defiantly disobedient people." 26