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.
22. While he was already in distress, the same King Ahaz increased his treachery to the Lord.
23. He sacrificed to the gods of Damascus who had defeated him, saying, “Since it was the gods of the kings of Aram who helped them, I will sacrifice to them that they may help me also.” However, they only furthered his downfall and that of all Israel.