Divine retribution

Divine retribution is a supernatural punishment usually directed towards all or some portions of humanity by a deity. This theological concept exists in virtually all major religions. Many cultures also have at least one story about how a deity exacted punishment on previous inhabitants of their land, causing their doom.An example of Divine retribution is the story found in many cultures about a great flood destroying part or nearly all of mankind. As described in the Book of Genesis (6:9-8:22), one man (Noah), together with his wife, sons and daughters-in-law and a representative selection of all the animals in the world at that time, were saved while the rest of humanity perished. References in the Qur'an to a man named Nuh who was commanded by God to build an ark also suggest that one man and his followers were saved in a great flood.
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