3.146 – How many a prophet has fought, (and along) with him (fought) many thousands?
This question seems to represent a concept of prophets that is quite different from the portrait painted in most other parts of the Quran, where Allah rescues the prophet and his supporters from those who oppose them. Here the prophet and his supporters pray for “victory over the people who are disbelievers” (v. 147). The context is a long passage in which the believers seem to be involved in battle in the present (3.121–86), and verses 146–48 seem to be an attempt to validate the fighting.
The concept of prophets who fight also appears in relation to the quranic Saul and David (2.246–51) and ‘Īsā (61.14, cf. 3.52); quranic prophets also show hatred of their enemies (Abraham, 60.4–6) and curse them (‘Īsā and David, 5.78). See a response to this concept at 61.14.
3.146 – God loves the patient
From the context of this verse, the “patient” seem to be those who fought “in the way of Allah.”