Remember when Moses said to his people: "O my people, remember the favours that God bestowed on you when He appointed apostles from among you, and made you kings and gave you what had never been given to any one in the world. 20 O my people! Enter the holy land which God has promised you; but do not turn back [on your faith,] for then you will be lost!" 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 Said he: my Lord I control not but myself and my brother, so decide Thou between us and this transgressing people. 25 He said: So it shall surely be forbidden to them for forty years, they shall wander about in the land, therefore do not grieve for the nation of transgressors. 26