They killed a number of the prophets, so Allah set over them— in place of those prophets— tyrannical kings who oppressed them and shed their blood. He also loosed against them external enemies. Whenever they went out to fight, they would carry with them the Ark of the Covenant, which had been kept in the Tent of Meeting, as mentioned earlier. By its blessing, and by the tranquility Allah had placed within it, together with the relics left by the House of Moses and the House of Aaron, they used to be granted victory. But during one of their wars against the people of Gaza and Ashkelon, the enemy prevailed, overpowered them, and wrested the Ark from their hands. When the king of the Children of Israel in that era heard the news, his neck went limp and he died of grief.

The Children of Israel were left like sheep without a shepherd until Allah raised up among them a prophet named Samuel. They asked him to appoint a king for them so they could fight the enemy under his command. What then transpired—which Allah has related in His Book—will be mentioned in due course.

Ibn Jarīr said: “From the death of Joshua son of Nun until Allah sent Samuel son of Bāli there elapsed four hundred and sixty years.” He then detailed the reigns of the kings who ruled during that span, naming them one by one, but we have deliberately omitted their mention.