2 Kings 6:28

And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, This woman said unto me, Give thy son, that we may eat him to day, and we will eat my son to morrow.

2 Kings 6:28 (KJV)

Context

This verse occurs during a severe famine in Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel. The Aramean army has besieged the city, cutting off food supplies. The king of Israel is speaking with a woman who has come to him for help. Her words reveal the extreme suffering caused by the siege.

Meaning

The king asks, “What aileth thee?” showing that he is willing to listen to her complaint. Her answer is horrifying: another woman had made an agreement with her to eat her son one day and the other woman’s son the next day. This shocking proposal shows how desperate the people had become. The famine had driven them to do things that were unthinkable, breaking the most basic bonds of family and humanity.

Biblical connections

This event fulfills the warning given by the prophet Elisha earlier in 2 Kings 6:24-25, when he foretold a great famine in Samaria. The suffering described here also matches the curses Moses warned about in Deuteronomy 28:53-57, where siege and famine would drive people to such extremes. The king’s reaction in the following verse, tearing his clothes and revealing sackcloth underneath, shows his personal anguish and the gravity of the situation.

Application

This verse reminds us of the terrible consequences of sin and disobedience. When people turn away from God, society can fall into moral chaos. It also calls us to respond with compassion to those who suffer. The woman’s desperate plea challenges us to listen to the cries of the needy and to offer practical help. We should value life and seek wise counsel in difficult times, rather than giving in to despair.

Reflection

God had sent clear warnings through His prophets, giving the people a chance to repent. They ignored those warnings, and the result was disaster. This passage shows the reality of God’s judgment, but it also points to His mercy. Later in the chapter, Elisha prophesies the end of the famine (2 Kings 7:1-2), showing that God is able to deliver even in the darkest hour. As believers, we are called to trust God in dire circumstances and to recognize the seriousness of sin. We can also find hope in the knowledge that God’s grace is available to all who turn to Him.