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 And when they came face to face with Goliath and his forces, they prayed: "O our Sustainer! Shower us with patience in adversity, and make firm our steps, and succour us against the people who deny the truth!" 250 By Allah's will they routed them; and David slew Goliath; and Allah gave him power and wisdom and taught him whatever (else) He willed. And did not Allah Check one set of people by means of another, the earth would indeed be full of mischief: But Allah is full of bounty to all the worlds. 251 These are the portents of Allah which We recite unto thee (Muhammad) with truth, and lo! thou art of the number of (Our) messengers; 252 ۞ These apostles: We have preferred some of them above some others: of them are some unto whom Allah spake, and some He raised many degrees. And We vouchsafed unto Isa, son of Maryam, the evidences, and We aided him with the holy spirit; and had Allah so willed those who came after them had not fought among themselves after the evidences had come unto them but they differed; then of them some believed and of them some disbelieved. And had Allah so willed, they had not fought among themselves, but Allah doth whatsoever He intendeth. 253