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1Therefore the LORD his God gave him into the hand of the king of Syria, who defeated him and took captive a great number of his people and brought them to Damascus. He was also given into the hand of the king of Israel, who struck him with great force.
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For 2Pekah the son of Remaliah killed 120,000 from Judah in one day, all of them men of valor, because they had forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers.
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And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, killed Maaseiah the king's son and Azrikam the commander of the palace and Elkanah the next in authority to the king.
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The men of Israel took captive 200,000 3of their relatives, women, sons, and daughters. They also took much spoil from them and brought the spoil to Samaria.
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But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded, and he went out to meet the army that came to Samaria and said to them, "Behold, because the LORD, the God of your fathers, 4was angry with Judah, he gave them into your hand, but you have killed them in a rage 5that has reached up to heaven.
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And now you intend to subjugate the people of Judah and Jerusalem, male and female, as your slaves. Have you not sins of your own against the LORD your God?
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Now hear me, and send back the captives 6from your relatives whom you have taken, for the fierce wrath of the LORD is upon you."
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Certain chiefs also of the men 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 were coming from the war
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and said to them, "You shall not bring the captives in here, for you propose to bring upon us guilt against the LORD in addition to our present sins and guilt. For our guilt is already great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel."
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So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the assembly.
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And 7the men who have been mentioned by name rose and took the captives, and with the spoil they clothed all who were naked among them. They clothed them, gave them sandals, 8provided them with food and drink, and anointed them, and carrying all the feeble among them on donkeys, they brought them to their kinsfolk at Jericho, 9the city of palm trees. Then they returned to Samaria.
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10At that time King Ahaz sent to the king of Assyria for help.
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For the Edomites had again invaded and defeated Judah and carried away captives.
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11And the Philistines had made raids on 12the cities in the Shephelah and the Negeb of Judah, and had taken Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Soco 13with its villages, Timnah with its villages, and Gimzo with its villages. And they settled there.
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For the LORD humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had made 14Judah act sinfully and had been very unfaithful to the LORD.
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So 15Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came against him and afflicted him instead of strengthening him.
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16For Ahaz took a portion from the house of the LORD and the house of the king and of the princes, and gave tribute to the king of Assyria, but it did not help him.