¹¹ Now hear me, therefore, and return the captives, whom you have taken captive from your brethren, ^(A)for the fierce wrath of the Lord is upon you.”

¹² Then some of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against those who came from the war, ¹³ and said to them, “You shall not bring the captives here, for we already have offended the Lord. You intend to add to our sins and to our guilt; for our guilt is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.” ¹⁴ So the armed men left the captives and the ^[a]spoil before the leaders and all the assembly. ¹⁵ Then the men ^(B)who were designated by name rose up and took the captives, and from the ^[b]spoil they clothed all who were naked among them, dressed them and gave them sandals, ^(C)gave them food and drink, and anointed them; and they let all the feeble ones ride on donkeys. So they brought them to their brethren at Jericho, ^(D)the city of palm trees. Then they returned to Samaria.

Assyria Refuses to Help Judah^(E)

^16 (F)At the same time King Ahaz sent to the ^[c]kings of Assyria to help him. ¹⁷ For again the ^(G)Edomites had come, attacked Judah, and carried away captives. ^18 (H)The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the lowland and of the South of Judah, and had taken Beth Shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Sochoh with its villages, Timnah with its villages, and Gimzo with its villages; and they dwelt there. ¹⁹ For the Lord ^[d]brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of ^(I)Israel, for he had ^(J)encouraged moral decline in Judah and had been continually unfaithful to the Lord.