۞ Have you not considered those who left their homes in many thousands, fearing death? Allah said to them, "Die"; then He restored them to life. And Allah is full of bounty to the people, but most of the people do not show gratitude. 243 And fight in the cause of Allah and know that Allah is Hearing and Knowing. 244 Who is there among you who will lend to Allah a good loan that He may return it after multiplying it manifold? Allah alone can decrease and increase (wealth) and to Him you shall all return. 245 Have you not considered the chiefs of the children of Israel after Musa, when they said to a prophet of theirs: Raise up for us a king, (that) we may fight in the way of Allah. He said: May it not be that you would not fight if fighting is ordained for you? They said: And what reason have we that we should not fight in the way of Allah, and we have indeed been compelled to abandon our homes and our children. But when fighting was ordained for them, they turned back, except a few of them, and Allah knows the unjust. 246 Their Prophet said, "God has appointed Saul as a king for you." They replied, "How can he dominate us when we deserve more to be king than he. Besides, he does not have abundant wealth." Their Prophet said, "God has chosen him as your ruler and has given him physical power and knowledge. God grants His authority to anyone whom He wants. God is Provident and All-knowing. 247 And their prophet said unto them: "Behold, it shall be a sign of his [rightful] dominion that you will be granted a heart endowed by your Sustainer with inner peace and with all that is enduring in the angel-borne heritage left behind by the House of Moses and the House of Aaron. Herein, behold, there shall indeed be a sign for you if you are [truly] believers." 248