9. Your holy children offered secret sacrifice of the very best that they had. They were all of one mind as they carried out the Law, which had come from God, that the holy people were to share good things as well as experience dangers together, while already singing the praises of their ancestors.
10. In contrast, the loud moaning of their enemies was a jarring and miserable sound. It rose up and could be heard everywhere as they mourned their dead children.
11. The same judgment fell on both slave and ruler. Both were punished together. The lowest person and the king suffered the same thing.
12. Countless bodies lay around, united together by a common name: death. There weren’t even enough of the living left to bury the dead! In one fleeting moment, their most valued children were destroyed.
13. Because of their misguided casting of spells and drug use, they didn’t believe until it was too late.As a result, all their oldest males were destroyed. It was only then that they acknowledged your people to be your children.
14. It was then, while everything was wrapped in a gentle silence, and half a night had already passed,
15. that your all-powerful word had leaped down from heaven, the royal throne. Like a fierce warrior, he had entered the land that was marked for destruction.
16. He carried with him your unchanging declaration like a sharp sword. He stood up and filled everything with death; he reached the sky while still standing on the ground.
17. Immediately the visions of their nightmares shook them. Unexpected fears assaulted them.
18. One here, then another there, fell to the ground half-dead. They shouted out to tell those around them why they were dying.
19. The dreams that had so bothered them had foretold that this was to happen. And so they perished knowing full well why they were suffering.
20. Those who did what is right were also touched by a test of death when many fell in the desert. But that wrath didn’t last long,
21. because a man in whom no blame could be found was already running to join the fight. He took up prayer and the reconciling incense as his weapons. He stood strong against the fury. In doing so, he limited the damage that was done. He showed that he was your servant.