Talut against the staff, and he was its exact height. He said to Talut, “Bring your head near.” When he did so, he anointed him with the sacred oil, then said to him, “You are the king of the Children of Israel whom Allah Most High has commanded me to appoint as king over them.” Talut said, “Did you not know that my tribe is the least of the tribes of the Children of Israel, and that my household is the least of the households of the Children of Israel?” He said, “Yes.” (1) Talut asked, “By what sign?” He replied, “The sign is that you will return and find that your father has found his donkeys.” And so it was.

Then he said to the Children of Israel, “Allah has appointed Talut as a king over you.” They said, “How can he have kingship over us?” That is, from where could he have kingship over us, “when we are more entitled”—more deserving—“to kingship than he?” They said this because the Children of Israel had two tribes: a tribe of prophethood and a tribe of kingship. The tribe of prophethood was that of Levi son of Jacob, from whom Moses and Aaron came; and the tribe of kingship was that of Judah son of Jacob, from whom David and Solomon came. Talut belonged to neither of them, but rather to the tribe of Benjamin son of Jacob.

They had committed a grave sin: they would have intercourse with women openly on the road in daylight. Therefore Allah Most High became angry with them and removed kingship and prophethood from them. They used to call it the tribe of sin. Thus, when their prophet told them this, they objected to him because Talut was not from the tribe of kingship. Moreover, they said, “He has not been given abundance of wealth.” He said, “Indeed, Allah has chosen him over you and increased him greatly in knowledge and stature.” That is, He selected him over you and granted him excellence and abundance in knowledge and bodily strength. This was because he was the most knowledgeable of the Children of Israel in his time. It was also said that revelation came to him when he was granted kingship.

Al-Kalbi said: “And increased him greatly in knowledge” means knowledge of warfare, while bodily strength means height. It was also said that bodily strength here means beauty. Talut was the handsomest and most knowledgeable man among the Children of Israel. “And Allah grants His kingship to whom He wills; and Allah is All-Encompassing, All-Knowing.” It was said that the All-Encompassing is the One of vast bounty, who gives out of His riches; and the All-Knowing is the One who knows. It was also said that the Knower knows what has been, while the All-Knowing knows what will be.

They said to him, “What, then, is the sign of his kingship?” Their prophet replied, “The sign of his kingship is that the Ark will come to you.” This is the meaning of Allah Most High’s saying: “And their prophet said to them, ‘Indeed, the sign of his kingship is that the Ark will come to you.’”

“And their prophet said to them, ‘Indeed, the sign of his kingship is that the Ark will come to you, containing reassurance from your Lord and a remnant of what the family of Moses and the family of Aaron left behind, carried by the angels. Surely in that is a sign for you, if you are believers.’” (2:248)

“And their prophet said to them, ‘Indeed, the sign of his kingship is that the Ark will come to you.’” The story of the Ark is that Allah Most High sent down to Adam an Ark containing images of the prophets. It was made of boxwood, approximately three cubits long and two cubits wide. It remained with Adam until he died; then it was with Seth. Adam’s descendants inherited it until it came to Abraham. It was then with Ishmael, because he was Abraham’s eldest son; then with Jacob. It remained among the Children of Israel until it came to Moses. Moses used to place the Torah and some of his belongings in it, and it remained with him until Moses died. Then it was passed down in succession—