Remember when Moses said to his people, "O my people! Remember God's favour to you, He has raised up prophets among you, made you kings, and granted you [favours] such as He has not granted to anyone else in the world. 20 O my people! enter the holy land which Allah has prescribed for you and turn not on your backs for then you will turn back losers. 21 They said: "O Moses, in that land live a people who are formidable; we shall never go there until they leave. We shall enter when they go away." 22 [Whereupon] two men from among those who feared [God, and] whom God had blessed, said: "Enter upon them through the gate - for as soon as you enter it, behold, you shall be victorious! And in God you must place your trust if you are [truly] believers!" 23 Nevertheless they said: 'O Moses! Never shall we enter it as long as they are there. Go forth, then, you and your Lord, and fight, both of you. As for us, we will sit here.' 24 Moses supplicated, "Lord, I have power over none but myself and my brother; so separate us from the disobedient people." 25 Answered He: "Then, verily, this [land] shall be forbidden to them for forty years, while they wander on earth, bewildered, to and fro; and sorrow thou not over these iniquitous folk." 26