۞ 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 Fight [in defence] in God's cause and remember that He is all hearing and all knowing. 244 Who is it that will offer of Allah a goodly gift, so He will multiply it to him manifold, and Allah straitens and amplifies, and you shall be returned to Him. 245 Have you not considered the chiefs of the children of Israel after Musa, when they said to a prophet of theirs: Raise up for us a king, (that) we may fight in the way of Allah. He said: May it not be that you would not fight if fighting is ordained for you? They said: And what reason have we that we should not fight in the way of Allah, and we have indeed been compelled to abandon our homes and our children. But when fighting was ordained for them, they turned back, except a few of them, and Allah knows the unjust. 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 Their Prophet further informed them, "The sign of his appointment as king from Allah is that during his reign you will get back the Ark, wherein are the means of your peace of mind from your Lord, and which contains the sacred relics of the family of Moses and Aaron, and which is being borne at this time by the angels. Herein is a great Sign for you, if you are true believers." 248