2 Chronicles 28:15 kjv
And the men which were expressed by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them upon asses, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brethren: then they returned to Samaria.
2 Chronicles 28:15 nkjv
Then the men who were designated by name rose up and took the captives, and from the spoil they clothed all who were naked among them, dressed them and gave them sandals, 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, the city of palm trees. Then they returned to Samaria.
2 Chronicles 28:15 niv
The men designated by name took the prisoners, and from the plunder they clothed all who were naked. They provided them with clothes and sandals, food and drink, and healing balm. All those who were weak they put on donkeys. So they took them back to their fellow Israelites at Jericho, the City of Palms, and returned to Samaria.
2 Chronicles 28:15 esv
And the 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, provided 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, the city of palm trees. Then they returned to Samaria.
2 Chronicles 28:15 nlt
Then the four men just mentioned by name came forward and distributed clothes from the plunder to the prisoners who were naked. They provided clothing and sandals to wear, gave them enough food and drink, and dressed their wounds with olive oil. They put those who were weak on donkeys and took all the prisoners back to their own people in Jericho, the city of palms. Then they returned to Samaria.
2 Chronicles 28 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 25:35-36 | "If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with you... uphold him..." | Law: Care for poor brother |
| Deut 15:7-8 | "If among you, one of your brothers should become poor... you shall surely open your hand..." | Command to help the needy |
| Deut 28:48 | "...you shall serve your enemies... in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness..." | Prophecy fulfilled: Captives suffered |
| Psa 41:1 | "Blessed is the one who considers the poor; the LORD delivers him..." | Blessing for helping the needy |
| Prov 19:17 | "Whoever lends to the poor repays the LORD..." | Investing in God by helping poor |
| Isa 58:7 | "Is not this the fast that I choose... to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him..." | True fasting involves caring for poor |
| Ezek 18:7-8 | "...has not oppressed anyone, but returns his pledge to the debtor, has not committed robbery, has given his bread to the hungry and covered the naked with a garment..." | Righteousness: practical acts of mercy |
| Joel 3:1 | "For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem..." | Future restoration of Judah |
| Mat 25:35-36 | "For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me." | Christ's teaching on acts of mercy |
| Luk 10:30-37 | The Parable of the Good Samaritan: "Who was neighbor to the man who fell among robbers?" | Practical compassion to any in need |
| Acts 2:45 | "And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need." | Early church's communal care |
| Acts 4:34 | "There was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them..." | Early church's provision for the poor |
| Heb 13:3 | "Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body." | Empathy for suffering believers |
| Heb 13:16 | "Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God." | Practical good deeds as sacrifice |
| Jas 1:27 | "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world." | Pure religion includes care for vulnerable |
| Jas 2:15-16 | "If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, be warmed and filled,' without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?" | Faith without works is dead |
| 1 Jn 3:17-18 | "But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth." | Love expressed through action |
| Psa 133:1 | "Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!" | Importance of unity among God's people |
| Rom 12:10 | "Love one another with brotherly affection..." | Call for brotherly affection |
| Gal 6:10 | "So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith." | Prioritizing aid to fellow believers |
| Jer 29:14 | "...and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations..." | Prophecy of divine restoration (future exile) |
2 Chronicles 28 verses
2 Chronicles 28 15 Meaning
The men, leaders from the Northern Kingdom of Israel who were specifically called by God's prophet Oded, responded in obedience to the prophetic word. They not only released the captured Judahite brethren but actively performed comprehensive acts of charity and compassion. They provided immediate relief by clothing the naked, shoeing the unshod, feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, anointing the sick and weak with oil, and even transporting the most feeble on donkeys. Their compassion extended to ensuring the captives reached Jericho, a strategic border city, safely returning them to their kin, before the Israelite army leaders themselves returned to Samaria. This verse details a profound act of grace and humanitarianism amidst conflict and apostasy, illustrating care for vulnerable fellow Israelites.
2 Chronicles 28 15 Context
Chapter 28 of 2 Chronicles details the wicked reign of King Ahaz of Judah, who embraced idolatry, offered child sacrifices, and forsook the LORD. As a result, Judah suffered significant military defeats, including a devastating blow from Pekah, King of Israel (Northern Kingdom), who killed 120,000 Judahite soldiers in one day and captured 200,000 women, sons, and daughters. Pekah intended to bring these captives as slaves to Samaria. This dire situation is the immediate backdrop for verse 15. The prophet Oded then intervenes, confronting the victorious Israelites and warning them against enslaving their Judahite brethren, reminding them of God's anger due to Judah's sins but also their own sin in excessively punishing their brethren. The men mentioned in verse 15 are influential Ephraimite leaders who respond to Oded's challenge, demonstrating remarkable obedience and compassion by reversing the traditional outcome of war – instead of enslavement, they facilitate their kinsmen's humane return.
2 Chronicles 28 15 Word analysis
- And the men who have been mentioned by name: Refers to specific, appointed tribal leaders of Ephraim, mentioned in the previous verse (2 Chr 28:12) – Azariah, Berechiah, Jehizkiah, and Amasa. This highlights their prominent role and responsibility. It implies divine recognition or distinction, often indicating trustworthiness or a significant calling in biblical contexts (e.g., Num 1:17). Their leadership was crucial in enacting this unprecedented act.
- rose up: (וַיָּקֻמוּ - vayyaq́umu) Implies decisive action and ready compliance. They stood ready to fulfill the prophet's instruction.
- and took the captives: Refers to taking charge of or laying hold of the Judahite prisoners. This was not merely passive release but an active re-claiming and supervision of those who were recently enslaved.
- from the spoil: (מֵהַשָּׁלָל - mêhashshalal) Literally, from the plunder or booty taken during the recent victory over Judah. This underscores that they used what they had gained from their brethren's misfortune to benefit them, an act of true restitution and reversal.
- they clothed all who were naked among them: Addresses a fundamental need for survival and dignity. Captives would have been stripped or deprived.
- and gave them sandals: Also essential for long journeys and protection, signifying basic provision for safe passage.
- and fed them and gave them drink: Basic sustenance, vital after forced marches, capture, and the deprivations of captivity.
- and anointed them with oil: (וַיְסֻכֻם בַּשֶּׁמֶן - vayyesukhum bashshæmen) This act had multiple functions in the ancient Near East: a restorative for health, soothing for wounds or sun-baked skin, a mark of hospitality, or even hygienic cleansing (after the harshness of war/captivity, oil could remove grime and lice, and soothe weary bodies). It conveys a deeper level of care beyond mere survival.
- and carried all who were feeble among them on donkeys: (בַנִּמְרָעִים... עַל־חֲמוֹרִים - bannimra'im... al-chamorim) "Feeble" means weak, exhausted, sick, or disabled. This act demonstrates profound compassion for the most vulnerable, prioritizing their welfare and ensuring no one was left behind due to physical inability. Donkeys were common pack animals for travel, but to dedicate them for the transport of the sick shows extreme thoughtfulness.
- and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees: Jericho was a city strategically located at the western edge of the Jordan Valley, close to the border with Judah. Its designation as the "city of palm trees" ('ir hattəmarim) highlights its characteristic lushness. Delivering them to Jericho facilitated their safe return into Judahite territory, symbolizing their full restoration.
- by the side of their brethren: Emphasizes kinship and the purpose of the action: reuniting families and communities, upholding the concept of fellow Israelites despite the political division.
- Then they returned to Samaria: Marks the completion of their compassionate mission and their return to their own capital, signifying that their extraordinary act of mercy was finished.
2 Chronicles 28 15 Bonus section
The Ephraimite leaders' decision to restore the captives and use the spoil for their well-being is exceptionally unusual for ancient warfare. Typically, captured populations were either killed, enslaved, or displaced to serve the conquering power's economic or political interests. This account serves as a strong counter-narrative, illustrating a rare adherence to God's command for compassion even towards enemies, specifically recognizing the shared covenantal heritage ("their brethren"). This event implicitly foreshadows Christ's teachings on radical love and caring for the "least of these" (Mt 25:35-36) and serves as a direct fulfillment of prophetic intervention (Oded's message). It underscores that while God used foreign nations and even internal strife as discipline, He never sanctioned inhumanity or utter disregard for the vulnerable, particularly among His own covenant people.
2 Chronicles 28 15 Commentary
This verse stands as a striking testament to humanitarian and God-ordained compassion within the grim context of Israelite civil strife and apostasy. Following the powerful rebuke by the prophet Oded (2 Chron 28:9-11), who warned the Northern Kingdom leaders against excessive cruelty towards their Judahite "brethren" (akin to a brother fighting a brother, not merely a foreign enemy), these named Ephraimite chiefs responded with exemplary mercy. Their actions moved beyond mere release; they actively engaged in comprehensive care for the captives. Every act – clothing, shoeing, feeding, giving drink, anointing, and carrying the weak – directly addresses the immediate and urgent needs of those who had endured capture, highlighting an extraordinary level of empathetic and practical love for neighbor. The use of "spoil" to finance these provisions further demonstrates a reversal of fortune, where plunder meant for subjugation became an instrument of healing and restoration. This episode vividly illustrates the principle that divine righteousness extends beyond avoiding sin to actively practicing justice and mercy, even towards those one has conquered or those considered adversaries, especially when kinship bonds (here, within the nation of Israel) are recognized. It is a rare glimmer of faithful obedience to the spirit of the Mosaic Law's care for the vulnerable, particularly in a time marked by widespread idolatry and political expediency in both kingdoms.