Ghafir 40:5

Kaththabat qablahum qawmu noohinwal-ahzabu min baAAdihim wahammat kulluommatin birasoolihim liya/khuthoohu wajadaloo bilbatililiyudhidoo bihi alhaqqa faakhathtuhumfakayfa kana AAiqab

The people of Noah denied before them and the [disbelieving] factions after them, and every nation intended [a plot] for their messenger to seize him, and they disputed by [using] falsehood to [attempt to] invalidate thereby the truth. So I seized them, and how [terrible] was My penalty.

Before these, the people of NūH and the groups after them had rejected (the messengers). Every group intended to seize their messenger, and raised disputes on the basis of falsehood, so that they might refute the truth with it, hence I seized them. So, how was My punishment?