Wisdom 16:3-5

Common English Bible

³ You did so in order that the enemies of your people, who were also hungry, wouldn’t be able to stomach food because of the ugliness of those creatures that you had sent against them. You also did so in order that your people, who were in need only for a little while, might share in a novel meal. ⁴ The enemies of your people, who oppressed them like tyrants, were fated to experience a famine that never seemed to end. But all that was necessary for your people was to show them how their enemies were to be tortured.

Insects and the bronze serpent

⁵ Even when the terrible fury of beasts overwhelmed your people and they were perishing from the stings of coiled serpents, your anger didn’t last long.