۞ Hast thou not regarded those who went forth from their habitations in their thousands fearful of death? God said to them, 'Die!' Then He gave them life. Truly God is bounteous to the people, but most of the people are not thankful. 243 And fight in the way of Allah and know that verily Allah is Hearing, Knowing. 244 Who is it that would loan Allah a goodly loan so He may multiply it for him many times over? And it is Allah who withholds and grants abundance, and to Him you will be returned. 245 Art thou not aware of those elders of the children of Israel, after the time of Moses, how they said unto a prophet of theirs, "Raise up a king for us, [and] we shall fight in God's cause"? Said he: "Would you, perchance, refrain from fighting if fighting is ordained for you?" They answered: "And why should we not fight in God's cause when we and our children have been driven from our homelands?" Yet, when fighting was ordained for them, they did turn back, save for a few of them; but God had full knowledge of the evildoers. 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 to them, 'The sign of his kingship is that the Ark will come to you, in it a Shechina from your Lord, and a remnant of what the folk of Moses and Aaron's folk left behind, the angels bearing it. Surely in that shall be a sign for you, if you are believers.' 248