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There is a trope in Judaism that God smites even the greatest Empires when they oppress the Jews.

Does God ever smite nations that are wicked to other non-Jews? We do have the example of Sodom, but perhaps they were smitten because they were totally evil or because they would have been a bad influence of Abraham's family.

Does God ever smite Jews that are wicked to non-Jews? The only possible instance I can think of is when God tells David to murder Saul's family in revenge for harassing the Gibeonites. But this could be punishment for violating Joshua's oath with them.

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  • why would that be given a free pass? – michael Mar 23 '19 at 22:25
  • Read seifer Ovadiah. Or Yonah. These are prophets sent to non-Jewish empires (Edom and Assyria, respectively) for the sole purpose of bringing them to teshuvah. Hadn't they listened, they apparently would have been destroyed under the weight of their own sins; nothing to do with the Jews. (PS: A lot of frum tropes don't really jibe with actual Torah. I don't know about this one, but I suspect it's on the list.) – Micha Berger Mar 24 '19 at 1:39
  • The flood? The Azteks with human sacrifices? And yes, all Jews that were mean to non-jews are dead now. – Al Berko Oct 18 at 22:14

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