And Jehoahaz besought the LORD, and the LORD hearkened unto him: for he saw the oppression of Israel, because the king of Syria oppressed them.
He saw the oppression of Israel - i:e., commiserated the fallen condition of His chosen people. The divine honour and the interests of true religion required that deliverance should be granted them to check the triumph of the idolatrous enemy, and put an end to their blasphemous taunts that God had forsaken Israel (Deuteronomy 32:27; Psalms 12:4).