۞ Bethinkest thou not of those who went forth from their habitations, and they were in their thousands, to escape death? Then Allah said unto them: die and thereafter quickened them. Verily Allah is Gracious unto men; albeit most men give not thanks. 243 And fight in Allah's cause and know well that Allah is All Hearing, All Knowing. 244 Who is he that will lend Allah a good loan! He will multiply it many multiples! Allah grasps and outspreads and to Him you shall be returned. 245 Have you not seen the congregation of the Children of Israel who demanded of one of their Prophets after (the death of) Moses? 'Raise up for us a king' they said, 'and we will fight in the way of Allah' He replied: 'Might it be that if fighting is written for you, you will not fight' 'Why shouldn't we fight in the way of Allah' they replied, 'when we and all our children have been driven from our dwellings' Yet, when fighting was written for them all except for a few, turned away. And Allah has knowledge of the harmdoers. 246 And their prophet said unto those elders: "Behold, now God has raised up Saul to be your king." They said: "How can he have dominion over us when we have a better claim to dominion than he, and he has not [even] been endowed with abundant wealth?" [The prophet] replied: "Behold, God has exalted him above you, and endowed him abundantly with knowledge and bodily perfection. And God bestows His dominion upon whom He wills: for God is infinite, all-knowing." 247 Their Prophet said to them: 'The sign of his kingship is the coming of the Ark to you, therein shall be tranquility from your Lord, and a remnant which the House of Moses and the House of Aaron left behind. It will be borne by the angels. That will be a sign for you if you are believers' 248