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 went into the field against Goliath and his hosts they said: Our Lord! Bestow on us endurance, make our foothold sure, and give us help against the disbelieving folk. 250 So they put them to flight by Allah's permission. And Dawood slew Jalut, and Allah gave him kingdom and wisdom, and taught him of what He pleased. And were it not for Allah's repelling some men with others, the earth would certainly be in a state of disorder; but Allah is Gracious to the creatures. 251 These are the verses of Allah which We recite to you, [O Muhammad], in truth. And indeed, you are from among the 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