2 Kings 6:26-27
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It's easy to skim over the "on the wall" here, but this detail is crucial. The king is on the defensive city wall, witnessing firsthand the devastating consequences of the siege, not from a comfortable palace. This puts him directly in the path of a desperate plea, highlighting his proximity to the suffering and the immense pressure he's under.
Now as the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried out to him, saying, “Help, my lord, O king!” And he said, “If the LORD will not help you, how shall I help you? From the threshing floor, or from the winepress?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The people of Israel are starving in the besieged city of Samaria, to the point where mothers are resorting to cannibalism. Elisha the prophet had previously foretold this terrible famine and also promised that relief would come soon. This desperate cry from a woman to the king, right as he's observing the dire situation from the wall, highlights the absolute desperation that has gripped the city, setting the stage for God's dramatic intervention.
Imagine a city under siege, where basic survival is a daily battle. This verse reveals a horrifying consequence of such desperation.
A City Pushed to the Brink
The passage in 2 Kings 6 describes a brutal siege of the city of Samaria. The situation had become so dire that food was incredibly scarce, leading to unimaginable suffering. The woman's cry is not just a plea for help; it's a raw scream from the depths of a community pushed to its absolute limit.
The Unthinkable Choice
What follows this cry is even more disturbing (though not detailed in this specific verse). The context reveals that the famine was so severe that people resorted to cannibalism. This woman's initial cry hints at the extreme measures people were driven to when survival was on the line, highlighting the devastating reality of war and famine.
In times of crisis, who do people turn to? This woman's cry points to a deeply ingrained human instinct to seek help from those in power.
The Last Resort Plea
The woman bypasses all other authorities and appeals directly to the king, who is passing by on the city wall. This signifies that the normal channels of help had failed, and the king represented the ultimate, albeit perhaps distant, hope.
A King's Responsibility
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Even in this dire situation, the woman recognizes the king's role and authority. Her plea, 'Help, my lord, O king!', underscores the expectation that leaders bear a responsibility for the well-being of their people, especially in times of crisis. This highlights the burden and the ultimate accountability that comes with leadership.
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The covenant name of the God of Israel (Yahweh), the self-existent, eternal, and personal God who reveals Himself and interacts with His people.
goren · Hebrew Noun
A flat, hard area where grain was separated from the husks; it functioned as the primary center for agricultural harvest and provision in ancient Israel.
yeqeb · Hebrew Noun
A container or pit, often carved into rock, used for pressing grapes to produce wine, symbolizing agricultural productivity and the blessing of the land.
The desperate plea of the woman crying out to the king highlights the horrific depths of famine and societal collapse during the brutal siege of Samaria, a direct result of prolonged warfare and oppression.
c. 841 BC
Reign of Ahab and Jezebel
This period saw significant conflict and famine in Israel, partly due to the apostasy and political actions of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel.
c. 841 BC
Jehu's violent coup
Jehu, commissioned by Elijah, brutally overthrew the Omride dynasty, including Ahab's family, bringing immense upheaval.
c. 835 BC
Syrian raids and oppression
Following Jehu's reign, Israel faced severe pressure and repeated attacks from the Arameans (Syrians) under leaders like Hazael.
c. 830 BC— this verse
Siege of Samaria
The Arameans under Hazael besieged the capital city of Samaria, cutting off supplies and causing extreme famine within the city.
c. 830 BC
Prophecy of Elisha
Elisha prophesied an imminent end to the siege and a dramatic drop in food prices, which King Jehoram initially doubted.
This passage directly foreshadows the desperate measures, including cannibalism, that Israel would face in times of extreme siege, echoing the severe situation implied in 2 Kings 6.
Lamentations 4:10This lament vividly describes the horrors of famine during a siege, mirroring the starvation so dire it drove mothers to extreme acts, as seen in the subsequent verses of 2 Kings 6.
Jeremiah 19:9This prophetic oracle uses the same imagery of parents eating their children due to famine and siege, highlighting this as a recurring consequence of disobedience and divine judgment.
Matthew 24:7Jesus uses the idea of 'famines and pestilences' as signs of the end times, connecting the severe national hardships depicted in 2 Kings 6 to a broader biblical theme of tribulation.
It's easy to skim over the "on the wall" here, but this detail is crucial. The king is on the defensive city wall, witnessing firsthand the devastating consequences of the siege, not from a comfortable palace. This puts him directly in the path of a desperate plea, highlighting his proximity to the suffering and the immense pressure he's under.
The people of Israel are starving in the besieged city of Samaria, to the point where mothers are resorting to cannibalism. Elisha the prophet had previously foretold this terrible famine and also promised that relief would come soon. This desperate cry from a woman to the king, right as he's observing the dire situation from the wall, highlights the absolute desperation that has gripped the city, setting the stage for God's dramatic intervention.
The people of Israel are starving in the besieged city of Samaria, to the point where mothers are resorting to cannibalism. Elisha the prophet had previously foretold this terrible famine and also promised that relief would come soon. This desperate cry from a woman to the king, right as he's observing the dire situation from the wall, highlights the absolute desperation that has gripped the city, setting the stage for God's dramatic intervention.
"Now as the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried out to him, saying, “Help, my lord, O king!” And he said, “If the LORD will not help you, how shall I help you? From the threshing floor, or from the winepress?”" — It's easy to skim over the "on the wall" here, but this detail is crucial. The king is on the defensive city wall, witnessing firsthand the devastating consequences of the siege, not from a comfortab…
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Last reviewed October 2026
