10. And now you are planning to subjugate the people of Judah and Jerusalem as your slaves and bondwomen. Are not you yourselves, therefore, guilty of a crime against the Lord, your God?
11. Now listen to me: send back the captives you have carried off from among your kin, for the burning anger of the Lord is upon you.”
12. At this, some of the Ephraimite leaders, Azariah, son of Johanan, Berechiah, son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah, son of Shallum, and Amasa, son of Hadlai, themselves stood up in opposition to those who had returned from the war.
13. They said to them: “Do not bring the captives here, for what you are planning will make us guilty before the Lord and increase our sins and our guilt. Great is our guilt, and there is burning anger upon Israel.”
14. Therefore the soldiers left their captives and the plunder before the princes and the whole assembly.
15. Then the men just named proceeded to help the captives. All of them who were naked they clothed from the spoils; they clothed them, put sandals on their feet, gave them food and drink, anointed them, and all who were weak they set on donkeys. They brought them to Jericho, the City of Palms, to their kinfolk. Then they returned to Samaria.
16. At that time King Ahaz sent an appeal for help to the kings of Assyria.
17. The Edomites had returned, attacked Judah, and carried off captives.
18. The Philistines too had raided the cities of the Shephelah and the Negeb of Judah; they captured Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Soco and its dependencies, Timnah and its dependencies, and Gimzo and its dependencies, and settled there.
19. For the Lord had brought Judah low because of Ahaz, king of Israel, who let Judah go its own way and committed treachery against the Lord.
20. Tiglath-pileser, king of Assyria, did indeed come to him, but to oppress him rather than to lend strength.
21. Though Ahaz plundered the Lord’s house and the houses of the king and the princes to pay off the king of Assyria, it was no help to him.