Surah Al-Baqara 2:247 — translation and meaning

البقرة · Verse 247 / 286 · Page 40

ۚ ۚ ۖ ۚ وَقَالَ لَهُمْ نَبِيُّهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ بَعَثَ لَكُمْ طَالُوتَ مَلِكًا قَالُوا أَنَّى يَكُونُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ عَلَيْنَا وَنَحْنُ أَحَقُّ بِالْمُلْكِ مِنْهُ وَلَمْ يُؤْتَ سَعَةً مِّنَ الْمَالِ قَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفَاهُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَزَادَهُ بَسْطَةً فِي الْعِلْمِ وَالْجِسْمِ وَاللَّهُ يُؤْتِي مُلْكَهُ مَن يَشَاءُ وَاللَّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ

Word by Word

ۚ
ۚ
ۖ
ۚ
وَقَالَ
waqala
And said
لَهُمْ
lahum
to them
نَبِيُّهُمْ
nabiyyuhum
their Prophet
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
اللَّهَ
al-laha
Allah
قَدْ
qad
(has) surely
بَعَثَ
ba'atha
raised
لَكُمْ
lakum
for you
طَالُوتَ
taluta
Talut
مَلِكًا
malikan
(as) a king
قَالُوا
qalu
They said
أَنَّى
anna
How
يَكُونُ
yakunu
can be
لَهُ
lahu
for him
الْمُلْكُ
al-mul'ku
the kingship
عَلَيْنَا
alayna
over us
وَنَحْنُ
wanahnu
while we
أَحَقُّ
ahaqqu
(are) more entitled
بِالْمُلْكِ
bil-mul'ki
to kingship
مِنْهُ
min'hu
than him
وَلَمْ
walam
and not
يُؤْتَ
yu'ta
he has been given
سَعَةً
sa'atan
abundance
مِّنَ
mina
of
الْمَالِ
al-mali
[the] wealth
قَالَ
qala
He said
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
اللَّهَ
al-laha
Allah
اصْطَفَاهُ
is'tafahu
has chosen him
عَلَيْكُمْ
alaykum
over you
وَزَادَهُ
wazadahu
and increased him
بَسْطَةً
bastatan
abundantly
فِي
fi
in
الْعِلْمِ
al-'il'mi
[the] knowledge
وَالْجِسْمِ
wal-jis'mi
and [the] physique
وَاللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
يُؤْتِي
yu'ti
gives
مُلْكَهُ
mul'kahu
His kingdom
مَن
man
(to) whom
يَشَاءُ
yashau
He wills
وَاللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
وَاسِعٌ
wasi'un
(is) All-Encompassing
عَلِيمٌ
alimun
All-Knowing

Transliteration

Wa qaala lahum Nabiy yuhum innal laaha qad ba'asa lakum Taaloota malikaa; qaalooo annaa yakoonu lahul mulku 'alainaa wa nahnu ahaqqu bilmulki minhu wa lam yu'ta sa'atamminal maal; qaala innallaahas tafaahu 'alaikum wa zaadahoo bastatan fil'ilmi waljismi wallaahu yu'tee mulkahoo mai yashaaa'; wallaahu Waasi'un 'Aleem

Translation

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."

Verse interpretation (Tafsir)

Their prophet said to them, ‘Allah has appointed Saul as your king, under whose banner you must fight’. Their leaders objected to this appointment and said, ‘How can he rule over us when we have a greater right to rule than he does, since he is not from the children of kings and he has not been given vast wealth which he can use in his rule!’ Their prophet said to them, ‘Allah has selected him over you and has given him great knowledge and physical strength. Allah grants authority to whomever He wishes in accordance with His wisdom and mercy. Allah is Bountiful and grants to whomever He wishes. He knows which of His creation is most deserving’.

Source: Al-Mukhtasar Tafsir — Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies.

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