“Then the
men who were designated by name arose, took the captives, and they clothed all
their naked ones from the spoil; and they gave them clothes and sandals, fed
them and gave them drink, anointed them with
oil, led all their feeble ones on donkeys, and brought them to Jericho,
the city of palm trees, to their brothers; then they returned to Samaria.”
(v.15)
Israel had every reason to be incensed against Judah for the
raid made on their territory. But, instead of pushing their advantage, we see
in our text they returned good for evil: clothing the naked, giving them food
and drink, anointing them with oil, carrying the feeble ones on donkeys, and
delivering them to their brothers. Why the change of heart?
This great defeat of Judah, which placed Israel in its victorious
position, was God’s punishment for Ahaz’s idolatry and unfaithfulness to the
LORD. Israel had already gone to far in their victory over Judah by “killing
them in a rage that reached to heaven” (v.9), now they were about to make
matters worse by enslaving God’s people (v.10).
Therefore, God sent the prophet Obed, to warn the men of Israel
of His impending wrath upon them if they enslaved his people (vv.9-13). An eco
of the words of the LORD, through Moses, to the Pharaoh, “Let my people Go.” When
the leaders of Israel heard the word of prophecy, to their credit, they
responded.
While God has/will always discipline His children, His hand of
protection is always on them as well, in this case, returning good for evil.
The Truth
Therefore
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” (Romans 12:20)
