2 Kings 6:28

2 Kings 6:28 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)Then he asked her, “What’s the matter?” She answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give up your son so we may eat him today, and tomorrow we’ll eat my son.’
• English Standard Version (ESV)And the king asked her, "What is your trouble?" She answered, "This woman said to me, 'Give your son, that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.'
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then the king said to her, “What is troubling you?” And she answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give your son, that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.’

Context of 2 Kings 6:28

26As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried out to him, “Help me, my lord the king!” 27He answered, “If the LORD does not help you, where can I find help for you? From the threshing floor or the winepress?” Then the king asked her, “What is the matter?” And she answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give up your son, that we may eat him, and tomorrow we will eat my son.’ 29So we boiled my son and ate him, and the next day I said to her, ‘Give up your son, that we may eat him.’ But she had hidden her son.” 30When the king heard the words of the woman, he tore his clothes. And as he passed by on the wall, the people saw the sackcloth under his clothes next to his skin.

2 Kings 6:28 word by word

וַיֹּֽאמֶר־לָ֥הּ הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ מַה־לָּ֑ךְ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר הָאִשָּׁ֨ה הַזֹּ֜את אָמְרָ֣ה אֵלַ֗י תְּנִ֤י אֶת־בְּנֵךְ֙ וְנֹאכְלֶ֣נּוּ הַיּ֔וֹם וְאֶת־בְּנִ֖י נֹאכַ֥ל מָחָֽר׃Read the interlinear

• Then the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• askedאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Whatמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
• Thisזֹאתzô'th · thisH2063
• womanאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
• to meאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
• Give upנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
• your sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• that we may eat himאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
• that we may eat himיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• tomorrowמָחָרmâchâr · tomorrowH4279

Cross-references for 2 Kings 6:28

• Genesis 21:17Then God heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, “What is wrong, Hagar? Do not be afraid, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he lies.
• Judges 18:23When they called out after them, the Danites turned to face them and said to Micah, “What is the matter with you that you have called out such a company?”
• 1 Samuel 1:8“Hannah, why are you crying?” her husband Elkanah asked. “Why won’t you eat? Why is your heart so grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”
• 2 Samuel 14:5“What troubles you?” the king asked her. “Indeed,” she said, “I am a widow, for my husband is dead.
• Psalms 114:5Why was it, O sea, that you fled, O Jordan, that you turned back,
• Isaiah 22:1This is the burden against the Valley of Vision: What ails you now, that you have all gone up to the rooftops,
• Leviticus 26:29You will eat the flesh of your own sons and daughters.
• Deuteronomy 28:53Then you will eat the fruit of your womb, the flesh of the sons and daughters whom the LORD your God has given you, in the siege and distress that your enemy will inflict on you.
• Isaiah 9:20They carve out what is on the right, but they are still hungry; they eat what is on the left, but they are still not satisfied. Each one devours the flesh of his own offspring.
• Isaiah 49:15“Can a woman forget her nursing child, or lack compassion for the son of her womb? Even if she could forget, I will not forget you!
• Lamentations 4:10The hands of compassionate women have cooked their own children, who became their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
• Ezekiel 5:10As a result, fathers among you will eat their sons, and sons will eat their fathers. I will execute judgments against you and scatter all your remnant to every wind.’
• Matthew 24:18And let no one in the field return for his cloak.
• Luke 23:29Look, the days are coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore, and breasts that never nursed!’

Commentaries on 2 Kings 6:28

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 28The king had assumed that the cry of the woman was for food. Her manner indicated that it was not so. He therefore proceeded to inquire what she wanted of him. This woman - Both women, it would seem, were present; and the aggrieved one pointed to the other.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 24-33Verses 24-33 Learn to value plenty, and to be thankful for it; see how contemptible money is, when in time of famine it is so freely parted with for any thing that is eatable! The language of Jehoram to the woman may be the language of despair. See the word of God fulfilled; among the threatenings of God's judgments upon Israel for their sins, this was one, that they should eat the flesh of their own children, De 28:53-57. The truth and the awful justice…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 26-29Cannibalism (the act of eating human flesh) in extreme times was part of God’s warning of judgment for unfaithfulness and disobedience (Deuteronomy 28:53, 57). It also happened during the siege that led to Jerusalem's fall (Lamentations 4:9–10).Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Kings 6:28

• Armies
• Cannibalism
• Famine
• Israel
• Prophecy
• Samaria
• Siege
• Women

In the dictionaries

• Band
• Elisha
• Famine
• Jehoram
• Send
• Ail
• Benhadad
• Jehoahaz
• Jehoram; Joram
• Kings, Books of

Commentaries on 2 Kings 6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings