2 Chronicles 28:13

And said unto them, Ye shall not bring in the captives hither: for whereas we have offended against the LORD already, ye intend to add more to our sins and to our trespass: for our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(13) Ye shall not bring in.—Into the city.

Whereas we . . . already.—This is at least a possible rendering. Literally, at or in the trespass of (against) Jehovah (lying) upon us, ye are proposing to add to our sins, &c. Others translate, “so that a trespass against Jehovah come upon us.” (Comp. Leviticus 4:3.) But the elders admit an already existing trespass, when they add, “for our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.” What they deprecate is an aggravation of that trespass.

Our trespass is great.—Literally, a great trespass is ours. (Syriac omits this clause and next verse. Instead of 2Chronicles 28:15 it has: “And they caused the whole captivity to return to Jerusalem.” It then continues with 2Chronicles 28:23-25, transposing 2Chronicles 28:16-21.)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

28:1-27 The wicked reign of Ahaz in Judah. - Israel gained this victory because God was wroth with Judah, and made them the rod of his indignation. He reminds them of their own sins. It ill becomes sinners to be cruel. Could they hope for the mercy of God, if they neither showed mercy nor justice to their brethren? Let it be remembered, that every man is our neighbour, our brother, our fellow man, if not our fellow Christian. And no man who is acquainted with the word of God, need fear to maintain that slavery is against the law of love and the gospel of grace. Who can hold his brother in bondage, without breaking the rule of doing to others as he would they should do unto him? But when sinners are left to their own heart's lusts, they grow more desperate in wickedness. God commands them to release the prisoners, and they obeyed. The Lord brought Judah low. Those who will not humble themselves under the word of God, will justly be humbled by his judgments. It is often found, that wicked men themselves have no real affection for those that revolt to them, nor do they care to do them a kindness. This is that king Ahaz! that wretched man! Those are wicked and vile indeed, that are made worse by their afflictions, instead of being made better by them; who, in their distress, trespass yet more, and have their hearts more fully set in them to do evil. But no marvel that men's affections and devotions are misplaced, when they mistake the author of their trouble and of their help. The progress of wickedness and misery is often rapid; and it is awful to reflect upon a sinner's being driven away in his wickedness into the eternal world.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

"Ephraim" is used herein the generic sense so common in the prophets, as synonymous with the ten tribes.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

8-14. the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two hundred thousand—These captives included a great number of women, boys, and girls, a circumstance which creates a presumption that the Hebrews, like other Orientals, were accompanied in the war by multitudes of non-combatants (see on [460]Jud 4:8). The report of these "brethren," being brought as captives to Samaria, excited general indignation among the better-disposed inhabitants; and Oded, a prophet, accompanied by the princes (2Ch 28:12 compared with 2Ch 28:14), went out, as the escort was approaching, to prevent the disgraceful outrage of introducing such prisoners into the city. The officers of the squadron were, of course, not to blame; they were simply doing their military duty in conducting those prisoners of war to their destination. But Oded clearly showed that the Israelitish army had gained the victory—not by the superiority of their arms, but in consequence of the divine judgment against Judah. He forcibly exposed the enormity of the offense of keeping "their brethren" as slaves got in war. He protested earnestly against adding this great offense of unnatural and sinful cruelty (Le 25:43, 44; Mic 2:8, 9) to the already overwhelming amount of their own national sins. Such was the effect of his spirited remonstrance and the opposing tide of popular feeling, that "the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the congregation."

Matthew Poole's Commentary

No text from Poole on this verse.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And said unto them, ye shall not bring in the captives hither,.... That is, into Samaria, near which it seems they now were:

for whereas we have offended against the Lord already; by exceeding in their cruelty against their brethren of Judah, as well as by worshipping the calves:

ye intend to add more to our sins and to our trespass: by making slaves of those they had taken captives, which was against the express law of God:

for your trespass is great; which they had committed already, by their idolatrous practices:

and there is fierce wrath against Israel; which they perceived by what the prophet had said.

Geneva Study Bible

And said unto them, Ye shall not bring in the captives hither: for whereas we have {h} offended against the LORD already, ye intend to add more to our sins and to our trespass: for our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.

(h) God will not allow this sin which we commit against him, to go unpunished.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

13. for whereas we have offended against the Lord already, ye intend to add more to our sins] R.V. for ye purpose that which will bring upon us a trespass (mg. “guilt”) against the LORD, to add unto our sins.

trespass] R.V. mg. “guilt.”

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 13. - Hither. The returning army was, no doubt, on the outskirts of Samaria, though the exact site of this interesting scene is not written. For whereas we have offended against the Lord; Hebrew; לְאַשְׁמַת יְהוָהו עָלֵינוּ. Translate, For to the just cause of offence on the part of Jehovah with us, ye propose to add to our sins, and to the offence existing already with us; for great is that offence, etc. The genius of the word here rendered" offence," seems, from careful comparison of the eighteen times of its occurrence, to point to "guilt, sin," or "trespass," as the causes awakening offence in any one against these who do them. The repentant temper of these "heads of the children of Ephraim" was admirable, and indicated their distance from many, many others of their people and day, and Of Judah, who were either callous or reckless. 2 Chronicles 28:13

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

This speech made a deep impression. Four of the heads of the Ephraimites, here mentioned by name, - according to 2 Chronicles 28:12, four princes at the head of the assembled people, - came before those coming from the army (על קוּם, to come forward before one, to meet one), and said, 2 Chronicles 28:13, "Bring not the captives hither; for in order that a sin of Jahve come upon us, do you purpose (do you intend) to add to our sins and to our guilt?" i.e., to increase our sins and our guilt by making these prisoners slaves; "for great is our guilt, and fierce wrath upon Israel."