۞ ART THOU NOT aware of those who forsook their homelands in their thousands for fear of death - whereupon God said unto them, "Die," and later brought them back to life? Behold, God is indeed limitless in His bounty unto man - but most people are ungrateful. 243 Fight, then, in God's cause, and know that God is all-hearing, all-knowing. 244 Who is there among you who will lend to Allah a good loan that He may return it after multiplying it manifold? Allah alone can decrease and increase (wealth) and to Him you shall all return. 245 Have you not seen the congregation of the Children of Israel who demanded of one of their Prophets after (the death of) Moses? 'Raise up for us a king' they said, 'and we will fight in the way of Allah' He replied: 'Might it be that if fighting is written for you, you will not fight' 'Why shouldn't we fight in the way of Allah' they replied, 'when we and all our children have been driven from our dwellings' Yet, when fighting was written for them all except for a few, turned away. And Allah has knowledge of the harmdoers. 246 And their prophet said to them, "Indeed, Allah has sent to you Saul as a king." They said, "How can he have kingship over us while we are more worthy of kingship than him and he has not been given any measure of wealth?" He said, "Indeed, Allah has chosen him over you and has increased him abundantly in knowledge and stature. And Allah gives His sovereignty to whom He wills. And Allah is all-Encompassing [in favor] and Knowing." 247 And their Prophet said to them, 'The sign of his kingship is that the Ark will come to you, in it a Shechina from your Lord, and a remnant of what the folk of Moses and Aaron's folk left behind, the angels bearing it. Surely in that shall be a sign for you, if you are believers.' 248