By the verses: S 5: 23-25, we understand that after the PASS OVER, God commanded the Israelties to set out for PALESTINE, and enter the Holy Land which Allah had assigned unto them.

      They disobeyed the commandment saying: ``O Moses! In this land are a people tyrant, and of exceeding strength. We shall not enter the land until they leave it. They even did not stop by saying so; and gave a reply to Moses which was full of irony, insolence and blasphemy! They added: You think too much of your God! If HE is so, then go with your Lord and fight them. We shall sit here on watch! What else should Moses do, but to pray to his Lord God asking HIS help? He said: O, My Lord! I have power only over myself, and my brother. So separate us from these rebellious people.''

      The punishment for the rebellion of these obstinate, stiff-necked people was that they were left to wander distractedly hither and thither through the wilderness for forty years!

      Some of them repented and returned back to obedience and faith, and God the Oft-Forgiving and Merciful pardoned them again, and bestowed on them of HIS bounties:

      ``And We outspread the cloud to overshadow you, and sent down to you Manna and Quails. Eat of the good things, that WE have provided for you.