and told them, “You will not bring the captives in here. What you propose would bring guilt before Yahweh on us, adding to our sins and our guilt. Our guilt is already great, and burning anger rests on Israel.”
In context
11So listen to me: send back the captives you have taken from your own kin, for the burning anger of Yahweh is upon you.” 12Then some of the heads of the Ephraimites — Azariah son of Jehohanan, Berechiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum and Amasa son of Hadlai — stood up against those coming back from the campaign 13and told them, “You will not bring the captives in here. What you propose would bring guilt before Yahweh on us, adding to our sins and our guilt. Our guilt is already great, and burning anger rests on Israel.” 14So the armed men gave up the captives and the plunder in front of the officers and the whole assembly. 15The men designated by name stood up and took charge of the captives. From the plunder they clothed everyone among them who was naked: they dressed them, gave them sandals, gave them food and drink, rubbed them with oil, mounted every weak one on a donkey and brought them to their kin at Jericho, the City of Palms. Then they returned to Samaria.
