Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Baqarah Verse 247

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Their prophet said to them: “Allah has appointed Tālūt as a king for you.” They said: “How could he have kingship over us when we are more entitled to the kingship than him? He has not been given affluence in wealth.” He said: “Allah has chosen him over you and has increased his stature in knowledge and physique, and Allah gives His kingship to whom He wills. Allah is All-Embracing, All-Knowing.’

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Their prophet told them, “Allah has appointed Saul[[ Ṭalûṭ.]] to be your king.” They protested, “How can he be our king when some of us are more deserving of kingship than he, and he has not been blessed with vast riches?” He replied, “Allah has chosen him over you and blessed him with knowledge and stature. Allah grants kingship to whoever He wills. And Allah is All-Bountiful, All-Knowing.”

Ruwwad Translation Center

Their prophet said to them: “Allah has appointed Saul as your king.” They said: “How could he be a king over us when we are more deserving of kingship than him, and he has not been given affluence in wealth?” He said: “Allah has chosen him over you and has increased him abundantly in knowledge and physique. Allah gives kingship to whom He wills, and Allah is All-Encompassing, All-Knowing.”

A. J. Arberry

Then their Prophet said to them, 'Verily God has raised up Saul for you as king.' They said, 'How should he be king over us who have better right than he to kingship, seeing he has not been given amplitude of wealth?' He said, 'God has chosen him over you, and has increased him broadly in knowledge and body. God gives the kingship to whom He will; and God is All-embracing, All-knowing.'

Abdul Haleem

Their prophet said to them, ‘God has now appointed Talut to be your king,’ but they said, ‘How can he be king over us when we have a greater right to rule than he? He does not even have great wealth.’ He said, ‘God has chosen him over you, and has given him great knowledge and stature. God grants His authority to whoever He pleases: God is magnanimous, all knowing.’

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And their prophet said unto them: verily Allah hath raised unto you Talut as a king. They said: how can there be the dominion for him over us, whereas we are more worthy of the dominion than he nor hath he been vouchsafed an amplitude of wealth! He said: verily Allah hath chosen him over you and hath increased him amply in knowledge and physique, and Allah vouchsafeth His dominion unto whomsoever He listeth; and Allah is Bountiful, Knowing.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Their Prophet said to them; "Allah hath appointed Talut as king over you." They said; "How can he exercise authority over us when we are better fitted than he to exercise authority, and he is not even gifted, with wealth in abundance?" He said; "Allah hath Chosen him above you, and hath gifted him abundantly with knowledge and bodily prowess; Allah Granteth His authority to whom He pleaseth. Allah careth for all, and He knoweth all things."

Abul Ala Maududi

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."

Ahmed Ali

And when their prophet said to them: "God has raised Saul king over you," they said: "How can he be king over us when we have greater right to kingship than he, for he does not even possess abundant wealth?" "God has chosen him in preference to you," said the prophet "and given him much more wisdom and prowess; and God gives authority to whomsoever He will: God is infinite and all-wise."

Ahmed Raza Khan

And their Prophet said to them, “Indeed Allah has sent Talut (Saul) as your king”; they said, “Why should he have kingship over us whereas we deserve the kingship more than he, and nor has he been given enough wealth?” He said, “Indeed Allah has chosen him above you, and has bestowed him with vast knowledge and physique”; and Allah may bestow His kingdom on whomever He wills; and Allah is Most Capable, All Knowing.

Ali Quli Qarai

Their prophet said to them, ‘Allah has appointed Saul as king for you.’ They said, ‘How can he have kingship over us, when we have a greater right to kingship than him, as he has not been given ample wealth?’ He said, ‘Indeed Allah has chosen him over you, and enhanced him vastly in knowledge and physique, and Allah gives His kingdom to whomever He wishes, and Allah is all-bounteous, all-knowing.’

Ali Ünal

Their Prophet said to them: "God has set up Saul (Talut) for you as king." They said: "How can he have kingdom over us when we are more deserving of kingdom than him, seeing that he has not been given abundance of wealth?" He said: "God has chosen him over you and increased him abundantly in knowledge and physical power (so that he can execute his decrees). God bestows kingdom on whomever He wills, and God is All-Embracing (with His mercy), All-Knowing.

Amatul Rahman Omar

And their Prophet (of God) said to them, `Verily, Allâh has appointed Tâlût (- Saul) to be a controlling authority over you.´ They said, `How can he have sovereignty over us, whereas we are better entitled to sovereignty than he, and he has not been given abundance of wealth?´ He (- their Prophet of God) replied, `Surely, Allâh has chosen him above you and He has given him a vast deal of knowledge and of bodily strength.´ And Allâh gives His sovereignty to whom He wills, for Allâh is All-Embracing, All-Knowing.

English Literal

And their prophet said to them: "That God had sent for you Saul/Taloot (as a) king". They said: "How is the ownership/kingdom to him over us and we are more worthy/deserving with the ownership/kingdom than him, and he was not given wealth/abundance from the property/wealth ?" He said: "That God chose/purified him over you, and increased him (in) expansion/wealth in the knowledge, and the body, and God gives His ownership/possession , (to) whom He wills/wants, and God (is) rich/spread, knowledgeable."

Faridul Haque

And their Prophet said to them, "Indeed Allah has sent Talut (Saul) as your king"; they said, "Why should he have kingship over us whereas we deserve the kingship more than he, and nor has he been given enough wealth?" He said, "Indeed Allah has chosen him above you, and has bestowed him with vast knowledge and physique"; and Allah may bestow His kingdom on whomever He wills; and Allah is Most Capable, All Knowing.

Hamid S. Aziz

Then their prophet said to them, "Verily, Allah has raised up for you Talut (Saul) as a king;" they said, How can the kingdom be his over us; we have more right to the kingdom than he, for he has not an amplitude of wealth?" He said, "Verily, Allah has chosen him over you, and has provided him with an abundance of knowledge and stature. Allah gives the kingdom unto whom He will; Allah is All-Embracing, All-Knowing."

Hilali & Khan

And their Prophet (Samuel) said to them, "Indeed Allah has appointed Talut (Saul) as a king over you." They said, "How can he be a king over us when we are better fitted than him for the kingdom, and he has not been given enough wealth." He said: "Verily, Allah has chosen him above you and has increased him abundantly in knowledge and stature. And Allah grants His Kingdom to whom He wills. And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures' needs, All-Knower."

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And their prophet said to them: Surely Allah has raised Saul to be a king over you. They said: How can he have kingdom over us while we have a greater right to kingdom than he, and he has not been granted abundance of wealth? He said: Surely Allah has chosen him above you, and has increased him abundantly in knowledge and physique. And Allah grants His kingdom to whom He please. And Allah is Ample-giving, Knowing.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And their prophet said to them: Surely Allah has raised Talut to be a king over you. They said: How can he hold kingship over us while we have a greater right to kingship than he, and he has not been granted an abundance of wealth? He said: Surely Allah has chosen him in preference to you, and He has increased him abundantly in knowledge and physique, and Allah grants His kingdom to whom He pleases, and Allah is Amplegiving, Knowing.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Their Prophet said unto them: Lo! Allah hath raised up Saul to be a king for you. They said: How can he have kingdom over us when we are more deserving of the kingdom than he is, since he hath not been given wealth enough? He said: Lo! Allah hath chosen him above you, and hath increased him abundantly in wisdom and stature. Allah bestoweth His Sovereignty on whom He will. Allah is All-Embracing, All-Knowing.

Muhammad Sarwar

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.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Their Prophet said to them: 'Allah has raised Saul to be your king' But they replied: 'Should he be given the kingship over us, when we are more deserving of it than he and he has not been given abundant wealth' He said: 'Allah has chosen him over you and increased him with amplitude in knowledge and body. Allah gives His kingship to whom He will. Allah is the Embracer, the Knower'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And their Prophet said to them, "Indeed Allah has appointed Talut (Saul) as a king over you." They said, "How can he be a king over us when we are fitter than him for the kingdom, and he has not been given enough wealth." He said: "Verily, Allah has chosen him above you and has increased him abundantly in knowledge and stature. And Allah grants His kingdom to whom He wills. And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures' needs, All-Knower."

Wahiduddin Khan

Their prophet said to them, "God has now appointed Talut to be your king." But they replied, "How can he be king over us when we are worthier of kingship than he and he has not even been granted an abundance of wealth?" He said, "God has chosen him over you, and has given him great knowledge and physique. God grants kingship to whoever He pleases: God is magnanimous and all knowing."

Talal Itani

Their prophet said to them, “God has appointed Saul to be your king.” They said, “How can he have authority over us, when we are more worthy of authority than he, and he was not given plenty of wealth?” He said, “God has chosen him over you, and has increased him in knowledge and stature.” God bestows His sovereignty upon whomever He wills. God is Embracing and Knowing.

Tafsir jalalayn

Then their prophet said to them, `Verily God has raised up Saul for you as king' They said, `How can he be king over us when we have better right than he to kingship, since he is not of the tribe of monarchs or that of prophets; he [Saul] was a tanner or a shepherd; seeing he has not been given amplitude of wealth?' which he can use to establish a kingdom. He, the prophet, said, to them, `God has chosen him over you, for kingship, and has increased him broadly, amply, in knowledge and body; at that time, he was the most knowledgeable and the most handsome of all the Children of Israel, and the most perfect of character. God gives the kingship to whom He will, in the way He does, and there can be no objection; and God is Embracing, in His bounty, Knowing, of those who deserve it.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Allah tells;

وَقَالَ لَهُمْ نَبِيُّهُمْ إِنَّ اللّهَ قَدْ بَعَثَ لَكُمْ طَالُوتَ مَلِكًا

And their Prophet said to them, "Indeed Allah has appointed Talut (Saul) as a king over you."

When the Israelites asked their Prophet to appoint a king over them, he appointed Talut (Saul), who was then a soldier. But, Talut was not a descendant of the house of kings among them, which was exclusively in the offspring of Yahudha (Judah). This is why;

قَالُوَاْ أَنَّى يَكُونُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ عَلَيْنَا

They said, "How can he be a king over us,

meaning, how can he be the king for us!

وَنَحْنُ أَحَقُّ بِالْمُلْكِ مِنْهُ وَلَمْ يُوْتَ سَعَةً مِّنَ الْمَالِ

when we are fitter than him for the kingdom, and he has not been given enough wealth,

They said that Talut was also poor and did not have the wealth that justifies him being king.

Some people stated that Talut used to bring water to the people, while others stated that his profession was dyeing skins.

The Jews, thus, disputed with their Prophet while they were supposed to obey him and to say good words to him.

قَالَ إِنَّ اللّهَ اصْطَفَاهُ عَلَيْكُمْ

He (their Prophet) said;"Verily, Allah has chosen him above you.

meaning, `Allah chose Talut from amongst you while having better knowledge about him.'

Their Prophet stated, "I did not choose Talut to be your king on my own. Rather, Allah has commanded that upon your request."

Further;

وَزَادَهُ بَسْطَةً فِي الْعِلْمِ وَالْجِسْمِ
and has increased him abundantly in knowledge and stature.

meaning, `Talut is more knowledgeable and honorable than you, and stronger and more patient during combat, and has more knowledge of warfare.

In short, he has more knowledge and is stronger than you are.

The king should have sufficient knowledge, be fair looking and should have a strong soul and body.'

He then said;

وَاللّهُ يُوْتِي مُلْكَهُ مَن يَشَاء

And Allah grants His kingdom to whom He wills.

meaning, Allah Alone is the Supreme Authority Who does what He wills and no one can ask Him about His actions, while they will be asked (about their actions by Him).

This is because Allah has perfect knowledge, wisdom and kindness with His creation.

Allah said;

وَاللّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ



And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures' needs, All-Knower.

meaning, His favor is encompassing and He grants His mercy to whom He wills.

He also knows those who deserve to be kings and those who do not deserve it