King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
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.
Complete Jewish Bible:
Then the king asked her, "What's troubling you?" She answered, "This woman said to me, 'Give me your son, so that we can eat him today; and we'll eat my son tomorrow.'
Berean Standard Bible:
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.’
American Standard Version:
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.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And the king{H4428} said{H559} unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered{H559}, This woman{H802} said{H559} unto me, Give{H5414} thy son{H1121}, that we may eat{H398} him to day{H3117}, and we will eat{H398} my son{H1121} to morrow{H4279}.
Cross-References (KJV):
2 Samuel 14:5
- And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, I [am] indeed a widow woman, and mine husband is dead.
Lamentations 4:10
- The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children: they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
Judges 18:23
- And they cried unto the children of Dan. And they turned their faces, and said unto Micah, What aileth thee, that thou comest with such a company?
Genesis 21:17
- And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he [is].
Matthew 24:18
- Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.
Matthew 24:21
- For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
Psalms 114:5
- What [ailed] thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest? thou Jordan, [that] thou wast driven back?
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for 2 Kings 6:28
2 Kings 6:28 is a verse set within the broader context of the Syrian siege of Samaria, the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, during the reign of King Jehoram (also known as Joram or Yoram). The historical context is one of severe famine, brought about by the prolonged siege, which has led to dire circumstances within the city.
In this verse, King Jehoram is confronted with the grim reality of the famine's impact when a woman approaches him with a harrowing tale. The woman recounts a desperate agreement she made with another woman: they would eat the woman's son one day, and the other woman's son the next. This shocking account reveals the extent of the human suffering and the moral degradation that can occur in times of extreme deprivation.
The themes present in this verse include the brutality of war, the desperation of famine, and the breakdown of social norms and human dignity in the face of survival. It also touches on the responsibility of leaders to protect and provide for their people, as well as the profound moral dilemmas that can arise in situations of extreme scarcity. The conversation between the king and the woman serves as a powerful indictment of the tragic consequences of the siege and the leadership's inability to prevent such an appalling situation.
This verse is part of a larger narrative that leads to an act of cannibalism, highlighting the depths of human despair. It also sets the stage for the subsequent divine intervention that brings relief to the city, illustrating the biblical motif of God's deliverance in times of distress. The account underscores the human cost of conflict and the need for compassion and effective governance in the face of crisis.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H4428
There are 1922 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מֶלֶךְ
Transliteration: melek
Pronunciation: meh'-lek
Description: from מָלַךְ; a king; king, royal. - Strong's Number: H559
There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָמַר
Transliteration: ʼâmar
Pronunciation: aw-mar'
Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet. - Strong's Number: H802
There are 729 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אִשָּׁה
Transliteration: ʼishshâh
Pronunciation: ish-shaw'
Description: feminine of אִישׁ or אֱנוֹשׁ; irregular plural, נָשִׁים;(used in the same wide sense as אֱנוֹשׁ); a woman; (adulter) ess, each, every, female, [idiom] many, [phrase] none, one, [phrase] together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English. - Strong's Number: H5414
There are 1816 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נָתַן
Transliteration: nâthan
Pronunciation: naw-than'
Description: a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.); add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] without fail, fasten, frame, [idiom] get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), [idiom] have, [idiom] indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), [phrase] lie, lift up, make, [phrase] O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, [idiom] pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), [phrase] sing, [phrase] slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, [idiom] surely, [idiom] take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, [phrase] weep, [phrase] willingly, [phrase] withdraw, [phrase] would (to) God, yield. - Strong's Number: H1121
There are 3654 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בֵּן
Transliteration: bên
Pronunciation: bane
Description: from בָּנָה; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.); [phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, [idiom] came up in, child, colt, [idiom] common, [idiom] corn, daughter, [idiom] of first, [phrase] firstborn, foal, [phrase] very fruitful, [phrase] postage, [idiom] in, [phrase] kid, [phrase] lamb, ([phrase]) man, meet, [phrase] mighty, [phrase] nephew, old, ([phrase]) people, [phrase] rebel, [phrase] robber, [idiom] servant born, [idiom] soldier, son, [phrase] spark, [phrase] steward, [phrase] stranger, [idiom] surely, them of, [phrase] tumultuous one, [phrase] valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth. - Strong's Number: H398
There are 825 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָכַל
Transliteration: ʼâkal
Pronunciation: aw-kal'
Description: a primitive root; to eat (literally or figuratively); [idiom] at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, [idiom] freely, [idiom] in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, [idiom] quite. - Strong's Number: H3117
There are 1931 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יוֹם
Transliteration: yôwm
Pronunciation: yome
Description: from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb); age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, [phrase] old, [phrase] outlived, [phrase] perpetually, presently, [phrase] remaineth, [idiom] required, season, [idiom] since, space, then, (process of) time, [phrase] as at other times, [phrase] in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), [idiom] whole ([phrase] age), (full) year(-ly), [phrase] younger. - Strong's Number: H4279
There are 52 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מָחָר
Transliteration: mâchâr
Pronunciation: maw-khar'
Description: probably from אָחַר; properly, deferred, i.e. the morrow; usually (adverbially) tomorrow; indefinitely, hereafter; time to come, tomorrow.