a prophet of the Lord, who being at Sa- maria when the Israelites of the ten tribes returned from the war with their king Pekah, together with 200,000 of the people of Judah captives, he went out to meet them, and said, "You have seen that the Lord God of your fathers was in wrath against Judah; he has therefore delivered them into your hands, and you have slain them inhumanly; so that your cruelty has ascended up into heaven; and more than this, you would make slaves of the children of Judah, who are your bre- thren, and would add this sin to the many others you have committed: therefore, hear the counsel that I give you; send back these captives, lest the Lord should pour out his fury upon you." Oded having done speak- ing, some of the chiefs of Samaria seconded him, and by their remonstrances prevailed with the Israelites to set the captives at liberty (2 Chron. xxviii). See ANAZ.

The enlargement of the captives being obtained, the principal men of Samaria took care of them, gave them clothes and food and other necessary assistance. After which they furnished them with horses, because the greatest part of them were so tired and exhausted that they were not able to walk. Thus they conducted them to Jericho, which was in the confines of the land of Ju- dah. This is all that is come to our knowledge con- cerning the prophet Oded.