13:4 Jehoahaz asked for the Lord’s mercy 1 and the Lord responded favorably, 2 for he saw that Israel was oppressed by the king of Syria. 3 13:5 The Lord provided a deliverer 4 for Israel and they were freed from Syria’s power. 5 The Israelites once more lived in security. 6 13:6 But they did not repudiate 7 the sinful ways of the family 8 of Jeroboam, who encouraged Israel to sin; they continued in those sins. 9 There was even an Asherah pole 10 standing in Samaria. 13:7 Jehoahaz had no army left 11 except for fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and 10,000 foot soldiers. The king of Syria had destroyed his troops 12 and trampled on them like dust. 13