۞ 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 So fight in God's way, and know that God is All-hearing, 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 Bethinkest thou not of the chiefs of the Children of Isra'il, after Musa? They said unto a prophet of theirs: raise for us a king that we may fight in the way of God. He said: may it not be that if fighting were prescribed unto you, ye would not fight! They said: and wherefore shall we not fight in the way of God, whereas we have been driven forth from our habitations and children? Then when fighting was prescribed unto them, they turned away, save a few of them: and Allah is the Knower of the wrong-doers. 246 Their Prophet said to them, "Allah has appointed Saul to be king over you." Hearing this, they replied, "How has he been entitled to become king over us? We have a better right to kingship than he, for he does not even possess enough riches." The Prophet replied, "Allah has preferred him to you and blessed him with abundant powers of mind and body. And Allah has the power to give His kingdom to whomever He wills: Allah is All-Embracing, All-Knowing." 247 Their prophet said to them: "The sign of his kingship will be that you will come to have a heart full of peace and tranquility from your Lord and the legacy left by Moses' and Aaron's family supported by angels. This shall be a token for you if you really believe." 248