Now bands of raiders from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. – 2 Kings 5:2

Today’s Scripture Reading (March 8, 2026): 2 Kings 5

On October 7, 2023, Hamas, supported by several Palestinian militant groups, attacked from the Gaza Strip into the Gaza envelope in Southern Israel. In the process of this attack, not only were over 1000 people killed, including over 300 civilians who were attending a music festival, but Hamas took over 250 people hostage. In doing so, they joined a long tradition of countries that have committed a border raid and brought hostages home with them. There are several reasons for taking prisoners. In the case of the Hamas attack, it was to gain some leverage over Israel. In this case, ordinary people were taken to gain that leverage. At other points in history, it has been relatives of those in power, blackmailing kings into actions they would not have taken if it weren’t for the hostages that had been taken. At other times, hostages have been taken to enforce a peace treaty; after all, you might not want to wage war with me if I have placed your brother or sister in the line of fire.

At other times, it was to gain enslaved people for some sort of work. What we sometimes miss about the North American Slave Trade is that the White Slave Dealers who went to Africa to get slaves to sell in the Caribbean and Southern United States usually didn’t go into Africa to get their slaves. It was often the Africans who went into the continent and captured the future slaves. These captured people were often from enemy or weaker tribes, and the trade made some Africans rich while destroying the lives of others. The White Slavers piloted their boats into certain ports, or sometimes islands off the east coast of Africa, where they could buy these enslaved people to be sold for a profit on the other side of the Atlantic.

It is an ancient practice. Hostages have been taken for various purposes throughout human history. As long as there have been people in power, there have been people who were willing to use that power to make money off of those who were weaker.

The raiders of Aram seem to fit into this last territory. They aren’t worried about kidnapping important hostages to sway the actions of a government; they want to enslave people to sell. And during this raid, they grab a young girl from her home and away from her family, who no doubt mourned her loss, and took her back to Aram, eventually selling her to the house of Naaman, where she served his wife.

If we stop here, it is a sad story. Parents, other relatives, and friends sadly remembered her for years after her disappearance. And yet God was still able to use her for an important purpose. The truth we often miss is that God doesn’t care how much power we might have. He can use us wherever we are, as long as we allow him to work through us.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 2 Kings 6