Wisdom 18:8-18

8 With the same act you punished our enemies and did us the glorious honor of calling us to yourself.
9 During all this time devout people from this righteous nation were secretly offering sacrifices, giving their word to each other that they would keep God's law and share each other's blessings and dangers. Already they were chanting those ancient hymns of praise.
10 But their enemies' pitiful cries of grief echoed everywhere, as they mourned for their dead children.
11 Masters suffered the same punishment as their slaves; the king endured the same loss as the common people.
12 There were too many dead bodies to count. There were not enough people left to bury them all. In a single moment their dearest children died; all of them met death in the same way.
13 These people had paid no attention to any warning, but relied instead on their magical powers. But when their first-born sons were killed, then they recognized that Israel was God's son.
14 The short night was half over, and all was quiet and peaceful,
15 when suddenly your threats were carried out! An invincible word of judgment sped from your royal throne in heaven, straight down to that doomed land. It came like a soldier in fierce attack,
16 carrying out your firm command with a fearful weapon, standing with feet on the ground and head touching the sky, filling the land with death.
17 At that moment the people who were about to die had terrible nightmares and were seized by sudden fear.
18 All over the land they lay half-dead and let it be known why they were dying.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.