When Moses told his people, "Recall God's favors to you. He made Messengers and Kings out of your own people and gave you what He had not given to others- 20 "O my people! Enter the holy land which Allah hath assigned unto you, and turn not back ignominiously, for then will ye be overthrown, to your own ruin." 21 They answered: "O Moses! Behold, ferocious people - dwell in that land, and we will surely not enter it unless they depart therefrom; but if they depart therefrom, then, behold, we will enter it." 22 So two men who were among those who feared Allah and whom Allah had favoured said, “Enter upon them by force, through the gate; if you enter the gate, victory will be yours; and depend only upon Allah, if you have faith.” 23 They said, "(Moses), as long as they are in the land, we shall never go there. Go with your Lord to fight them but we shall stay where we are". 24 Thereupon Moses said: 'My Lord! I have control over none but my own self and my brother; so distinguish between us and the transgressing people.' 25 God said, "The land is forbidden to them for forty years, while they wander around the earth, bewildered; do not grieve over these wicked people." 26