Bible Strands
2 Chronicles 28:9
But a prophet of the LORD named Oded was there, and he went out to meet the army that returned to Samaria. “Look,” he said to them, “because of His wrath against Judah, the LORD, the God of your fathers, has delivered them into your hand. But you have slaughtered them in a rage that reaches up to heaven.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Prophet Oded confronts the returning Israelite army at Samaria, addressing them immediately after they captured two hundred thousand Judahites and seized plunder. He intervenes to halt their intended enslavement of the remaining Judahites and Jerusalemites.
The words — The Hebrew נָבִיא (na.Vi') denotes a prophet, and עֹדֵד ('o.Ded) identifies him as Oded. These terms establish his divine commission and personal authority in the confrontation.
The thread — The motif of divine wrath delivering a people into enemy hands appears in Isaiah 47:6, while the imagery of iniquity reaching heaven echoes Revelation 18:5 and the shame of accumulated guilt in Ezra 9:6. These passages trace a consistent biblical pattern where human violence against God’s people provokes divine judgment.
Why it lands — The verse demands recognition that military victory does not justify cruelty, as God’s judgment on Judah does not grant the victors license to exceed righteous limits. It requires readers to reject the rationalization of violence and submit human actions to divine accountability.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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.
Cross-references
- Ezra 9:6 and said: “O my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift up my face to You, my God, because our iniquities are higher than our heads, and our guilt has reached the heavens.
- Isaiah 47:6 I was angry with My people; I profaned My heritage, and I placed them under your control. You showed them no mercy; even on the elderly you laid a most heavy yoke.
- Revelation 18:5 For her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.
- Zechariah 1:15 but I am fiercely angry with the nations that are at ease. For I was a little angry, but they have added to the calamity.’
- Genesis 4:10 “What have you done?” replied the LORD. “The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.
- Genesis 11:4 “Come,” they said, “let us build for ourselves a city with a tower that reaches to the heavens, that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of all the earth.”
- Judges 3:8 Then the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king of Aram-naharaim, and the Israelites served him eight years.
- 1 Kings 20:13 Meanwhile a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel and declared, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Do you see this entire great army? Behold, I will deliver it into your hand this very day, and you will know that I am the LORD.’”
- 1 Kings 20:22 Afterward, the prophet approached the king of Israel and said, “Go and strengthen your position, and take note what you must do, for in the spring the king of Aram will come up against you.”
- 1 Kings 20:42 And the prophet said to the king, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Because you have let slip from your hand the man I had devoted to destruction, your life will be exchanged for his life, and your people for his people.’”