2 Chronicles 28 9

2 Chronicles 28:9 kjv

But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded: and he went out before the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them, Behold, because the LORD God of your fathers was wroth with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage that reacheth up unto heaven.

2 Chronicles 28:9 nkjv

But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded; and he went out before the army that came to Samaria, and said to them: "Look, because the LORD God of your fathers was angry with Judah, He has delivered them into your hand; but you have killed them in a rage that reaches up to heaven.

2 Chronicles 28:9 niv

But a prophet of the LORD named Oded was there, and he went out to meet the army when it returned to Samaria. He said to them, "Because the LORD, the God of your ancestors, was angry with Judah, he gave them into your hand. But you have slaughtered them in a rage that reaches to heaven.

2 Chronicles 28:9 esv

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, was angry with Judah, he gave them into your hand, but you have killed them in a rage that has reached up to heaven.

2 Chronicles 28:9 nlt

But a prophet of the LORD named Oded was there in Samaria when the army of Israel returned home. He went out to meet them and said, "The LORD, the God of your ancestors, was angry with Judah and let you defeat them. But you have gone too far, killing them without mercy, and all heaven is disturbed.

2 Chronicles 28 verses

2 Chronicles 28 9 Meaning

This verse reveals that the Northern Kingdom of Israel’s devastating victory over Judah was divinely orchestrated as a judgment by the LORD due to Judah's sins, particularly those of King Ahaz. However, the prophet Oded intervenes to condemn Israel for exceeding the divine allowance; their subsequent excessive and brutal slaughter of their Judean brethren was an act of extreme fury that constituted a grievous sin reaching up to heaven, inviting God's further judgment upon them. It highlights God's sovereignty over nations, even in their judgments, and sets moral boundaries on human actions even within such judgments.

2 Chronicles 28 9 Context

This verse is situated in a dark period for the Kingdom of Judah under the reign of King Ahaz (2 Chr 28:1). Ahaz famously walked in the ways of the kings of Israel (Northern Kingdom), made cast images for the Baals, burned his children as sacrifices, and committed every detestable act, provoking the LORD (2 Chr 28:2-4). Because of this severe idolatry and apostasy, the LORD delivered Judah into the hand of the king of Aram, and then into the hand of King Pekah of Israel. Pekah, in a single day, killed 120,000 valiant men of Judah and carried away 200,000 captives—women, sons, and daughters—along with abundant spoil, to Samaria (2 Chr 28:5-8). It is at this critical juncture, as the victorious Northern army returns to its capital, Samaria, that the prophet Oded intercepts them.

2 Chronicles 28 9 Word analysis

• But: This conjunction signifies a critical turning point or a strong contrast from the preceding narrative. The "but" introduces divine intervention through a prophet to counter the human triumph and bring a spiritual corrective.
• a prophet of the LORD: (Hebrew: נביא ליהוה, navi le-YHWH) This phrase emphasizes that Oded's message originates directly from God, possessing divine authority and truth. He is not merely a man speaking, but a mouthpiece for the Covenant God.
• was there, whose name was Oded: (Hebrew: עודד, ‘Oded, meaning "restorer" or "encourager"). His name is significant for a figure who calls Israel back to righteous conduct and indirectly encourages Judah through this intervention, preventing further devastation and humiliation. He stands as a solitary figure against a triumphant army.
• he went out to meet the army that came to Samaria: This demonstrates Oded's courageous and uncompromising commitment to his prophetic duty. He confronts a large, victorious, and potentially dangerous military force returning to their capital. Samaria was the capital city of the Northern Kingdom of Israel.
• said to them: Oded delivers a direct and authoritative pronouncement to the soldiers, not to their king first, which highlights the immediacy and urgency of his message to those who committed the act.
• “Behold: (Hebrew: הנה, hineh) An exclamation drawing immediate attention to the grave truth that follows, a call for the listeners to pay close heed.
• because the LORD, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah: This phrase connects to the shared Abrahamic and Mosaic covenant heritage. It underscores that Judah's defeat was not a mere military triumph of Israel but a deliberate act of divine judgment. The LORD (YHWH), the covenant God, was the active agent. This recontextualizes Israel's victory.
• he has delivered them into your hand: This clarifies that God granted Israel their military victory. Israel was a divinely permitted, albeit unwitting, instrument of judgment against Judah for their apostasy under King Ahaz.
• but you have slaughtered them: (Hebrew: טבחתם, tavaḥtem, from טבח, tavaḥ, to slaughter, butcher) This is a strong contrast to "delivered into your hand." The word implies an indiscriminate and perhaps cruel killing, going beyond the necessities of battle to include unnecessary bloodshed or continued killing after surrender/rout. This is the heart of their sin. The conjunction "but" highlights that while God delivered Judah, Israel slaughtered, emphasizing human agency and exceeding limits.
• with a fury: (Hebrew: חמה, ḥemah, intense heat, wrath, indignation, burning anger) This describes the inner disposition and motivation behind the excessive killing. It signifies uncontrolled, zealous, or vengeful rage. It was not a dispassionate execution of judgment.
• that reaches up to heaven: (Hebrew: הגיע לשמים, higgia' la-shamayim, "it reached to the heavens") This idiomatic expression denotes an act of extreme enormity, gravity, and audacity. It indicates a sin so profound and abhorrent that it "cries out" to God, demanding divine notice and eventual retribution. It signifies that the sin was committed directly against God's standards and invoked His ultimate judgment. It also contrasts Israel's human fury with God's controlled divine anger mentioned earlier.

• "Prophet of the LORD...Oded": A crucial divine check on human power and cruelty, even when humans act as God's temporary instruments.
• "the LORD, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah": Emphasizes divine sovereignty and that Judah's plight was a consequence of covenant disobedience, appealing to Israel's shared spiritual heritage and knowledge of God's ways.
• "he has delivered them into your hand, but you have slaughtered them with a fury that reaches up to heaven.": This key phrase encapsulates the theological core: God allowed the victory as judgment, but Israel’s excessive cruelty, driven by a bloodthirsty fury, transformed their allowed victory into a grievous sin demanding divine reckoning. They crossed a moral boundary set by God.

2 Chronicles 28 9 Bonus section

The impact of Oded’s prophetic declaration was immediate and profound (2 Chr 28:12-15). Several influential leaders of Ephraim (part of the Northern Kingdom) rose up, preventing the soldiers from bringing the captives and plunder into Samaria. They reiterated Oded's warning, stating that taking their brethren as captives would add to Israel's already significant sin and guilt before the LORD. Consequently, the armed men left the captives and plunder, and under the direction of the leaders, they clothed, fed, anointed, and provided transportation for the enfeebled captives back to Jericho, restoring them to Judah. This demonstrates the immense power of a truthful, Spirit-filled prophetic word to evoke repentance and merciful action, averting further divine wrath upon the Northern Kingdom. It shows a remnant within Israel who heeded God's warning, reflecting a flicker of righteousness amidst the widespread sin of both kingdoms.

2 Chronicles 28 9 Commentary

2 Chronicles 28:9 is a pivotal statement on the complex relationship between divine judgment and human responsibility. Oded, a courageous prophet, confronts a victorious Israelite army, stripping them of any moral high ground for their actions. While God sovereignly used Israel to discipline Judah, their extreme brutality in carrying out this judgment was not divinely sanctioned; rather, it was a profound sin that transcended permissible warfare. The phrase "fury that reaches up to heaven" underscores the heinousness of their unchecked wrath, implying a universal moral standard held by God against excessive cruelty, even against apparent enemies who were still their covenant brethren. This incident serves as a crucial theological reminder that God holds even the instruments of His judgment accountable for their motives and actions, and that human cruelty, however triumphant in the moment, inevitably cries out for divine recompense. It highlights that God does not condone or overlook human depravity simply because it coincidentally aligns with His purposes for a season.