דברי הימים ב, פרק כ״ח, פסוק י׳

A harsh rebuke is directed at a victorious army intending to forcefully seize the people of Judah and Jerusalem to hold them as prisoners of war and slaves [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This cruel plan stands in direct opposition to the will of God. He did not grant them military success so they could subjugate their own brothers, an act that violates the fundamental laws of the Torah forbidding kidnapping and restricting Hebrew servitude [מלבי״ם]. Furthermore, the defeated people of Judah have already paid their debt. The devastating toll of losing the battle and being taken captive serves as their complete and proper punishment, making any further enslavement entirely unjustified [מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם].

The rebuke then turns the mirror toward the captors, forcing them to confront their own moral standing. There are two ways to understand the heavy guilt resting upon the victorious forces. One perspective highlights a profound spiritual irony. The people of Judah have just had their sins wiped clean through the painful punishment of defeat, while the captors still carry their own unatoned wrongdoings. In truth, the victors are now more guilty before God than the broken people they hold captive [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Another perspective focuses directly on the current situation. Rather than bringing any true benefit, the very thought and action of subjugating their brothers piles a massive new crime on top of whatever sins the captors have previously committed [מצודת דוד, רלב״ג]. Ultimately, this attempt to enslave their kin only serves to awaken the fierce anger of God. To avoid His wrath, the captors are warned that they must abandon their plan and return the prisoners immediately [רלב״ג].