TRV
Translation
King James Version
And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass's head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove's dung for five pieces of silver.
KJV (with Strong's)
Complete Jewish Bible
At the time, there was a severe famine in Shomron; and they maintained their siege until a donkey's head sold for eighty pieces of silver and half a pint of doves' dung for five pieces of silver.
Berean Standard Bible
So there was a great famine in Samaria. Indeed, they besieged the city so long that a donkey’s head sold for eighty shekels of silver, and a quarter cab of dove’s dung sold for five shekels of silver.
American Standard Version
And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass’s head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a kab of dove’s dung for five pieces of silver.
World English Bible Messianic
There was a great famine in Samaria. Behold, they besieged it, until a donkey’s head was sold for eighty pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a kab of dove’s dung for five pieces of silver.
Geneva Bible (1599)
So there was a great famine in Samaria: for loe, they besieged it vntill an asses head was at foure score pieces of siluer, and the fourth part of a kab of doues doung at fiue pieces of siluer.
Young's Literal Translation
and there is a great famine in Samaria, and lo, they are laying siege to it, till the head of an ass is at eighty silverlings, and a forth of the cab of dovesdung at five silverlings.
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In the KJVVerse 9,700 of 31,102
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Commentary on 2 Kings 6 verses 24–33
24 ¶ And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria.
25 And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass's head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove's dung for five pieces of silver.
26 And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman unto him, saying, Help, my lord, O king.
27 And he said, If the LORD do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress?
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.
29 So we boiled my son, and did eat him: and I said unto her on the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him: and she hath hid her son.
30 And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes; and he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh.
31 Then he said, God do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day.
32 But Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him; and the king sent a man from before him: but ere the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, See ye how this son of a murderer hath sent to take away mine head? look, when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold him fast at the door: is not the sound of his master's feet behind him?
33 And while he yet talked with them, behold, the messenger came down unto him: and he said, Behold, this evil is of the LORD; what should I wait for the LORD any longer?
This last paragraph of this chapter should, of right, have been the first of the next chapter, for it begins a new story, which is there continued and concluded. Here is,
I. The siege which the king of Syria laid to Samaria and the great distress which the city was reduced to thereby. The Syrians had soon forgotten the kindnesses they had lately received in Samaria, and very ungratefully, for aught that appears without any provocation, sought the destruction of it, Kg2 6:24. There are base spirits that can never feel obliged. The country, we may suppose, was plundered and laid waste when this capital city was brought to the last extremity, Kg2 6:25. The dearth which had of late been in the land was probably the occasion of the emptiness of their stores, or the siege was so sudden that they had not time to lay in provisions; so that, while the sword devoured without, the famine within was more grievous (Lam 4:9): for, it should seem, the Syrians designed not to storm the city, but to starve it. So great was the scarcity that an ass's head, that has but little flesh on it and that unsavoury, unwholesome, and ceremonially unclean, was sold for five pounds, and a small quantity of fitches, or lentiles, or some such coarse corn, then called dove's dung, no more of it than the quantity of six eggs, for five pieces of silver, about twelve or fifteen shillings. 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 anything that is eatable.
II. The sad complaint which a poor woman had to make to the king, in the extremity of the famine. He was passing by upon the wall to give orders for the mounting of the guard, the posting of the archers, the repair of the breaches, and the like, when a woman of the city cried to him, Help, my lord, O king! Kg2 6:26. Whither should the subject, in distress, go for help but to the prince, who is, by office, the protector of right and the avenger of wrong? He returns but a melancholy answer (Kg2 6:27): If the Lord do not help thee, whence shall I? Some think it was a quarrelling word, and the language of his fretfulness: "Why dost thou expect anything from me, when God himself deals thus hardly with us?" Because he could not help her as he would, out of the floor or the wine-press, he would not help her at all. We must take heed of being made cross by afflictive providences. It rather seems to be a quieting word: "Let us be content, and make the best of our affliction, looking up to God, for, till he help us, I cannot help thee." 1. He laments the emptiness of the floor and the wine-press. These were not as they had been; even the king's failed. We read (Kg2 6:23) of great provisions which he had a command, sufficient for the entertainment of an army, yet now he has not wherewithal to relieve one poor woman. Scarcity sometimes follows upon great plenty; we cannot be sure that tomorrow shall be as this day, Isa 56:12; Psa 30:6. 2. He acknowledges himself thereby disabled to help, unless God would help them. Note, Creatures are helpless things without God, for every creature is that, all that, and only that, which he makes it to be. However, though he cannot help her, he is willing to hear her (Kg2 6:28): "What ails thee? Is there anything singular in thy case, or dost thou fare worse than thy neighbours?" Truly yes; she and one of her neighbours had made a barbarous agreement, that, all provisions failing, they should boil and eat her son first and then her neighbour's; hers was eaten (who can think of it without horror?) and now her neighbour hid hers, Kg2 6:28, Kg2 6:29. See an instance of the dominion which the flesh has got above the spirit, when the most natural affections of the mind may be thus overpowered by the natural appetites of the body. See the word of God fulfilled; among the threatenings of God's judgments upon Israel for their sins this was one (Deu 28:53-57), that they should eat the flesh of their own children, which one would think incredible, yet it came to pass.
III. The king's indignation against Elisha upon this occasion. He lamented the calamity, rent his clothes, and had sackcloth upon his flesh (Kg2 6:30), as one heartily concerned for the misery of his people, and that it was not in his power to help them; but he did not lament his own iniquity, nor the iniquity of his people, which was the procuring cause of the calamity; he was not sensible that his ways and his doings had procured this to himself; this is his wickedness, for it is bitter. The foolishness of man perverteth his way, and then his heart fretteth against the Lord. Instead of vowing to pull down the calves at Dan and Beth-el, or letting the law have its course against the prophets of Baal and of the groves, he swears the death of Elisha, Kg2 6:31. Why, what is the matter? What had Elisha done? his head is the most innocent and valuable in all Israel, and yet that must be devoted, and made an anathema. Thus in the days of the persecuting emperors, when the empire groaned under any extraordinary calamity, the fault was laid on the Christians, and they were doomed to destruction. Christianos ad leones - Away with the Christians to the lions. Perhaps Jehoram was in this heat against Elisha because he had foretold this judgment, or had persuaded him to hold out, and not surrender, or rather because he did not, by his prayers, raise the siege, and relieve the city, which he though he could do but would not; whereas till they repented and reformed, and were ready for deliverance, they had no reason to expect that the prophet should pray for it.
IV. The foresight Elisha had of the king's design against him, Kg2 6:32. He sat in his house well composed, and the elders with him, well employed no doubt, while the king was like a wild bull in a net, or like the troubled sea when it cannot rest; he told the elders there was an officer coming from the king to cut off his head, and bade them stop him at the door, and not let him in, for the king his master was just following him, to revoke the order, as we may suppose. The same spirit of prophecy that enabled Elisha to tell him what was done at a distance authorized him to call the king the son of a murderer, which, unless we could produce such an extraordinary commission, it is not for us to initiate; far be it from us to despise dominion and to speak evil of dignities. He appealed to the elders whether he had deserved so ill at the king's hands: "See whether in this he be not the son of a murderer?" For what evil had Elisha done? He had not desired the woeful day, Jer 17:16.
V. The king's passionate speech, when he came to prevent the execution of his edict for the beheading of Elisha. He seems to have been in a struggle between his convictions and his corruptions, knew not what to say, but, seeing things brought to the last extremity, he even abandoned himself to despair (Kg2 6:33): This evil is of the Lord. Therein his notions were right and well applied; it is a general truth that all penal evil is of the Lord, as the first cause, and sovereign judge (Amo 3:6), and this we ought to apply to particular cases: if all evil, then this evil, whatever it is we are now groaning under, whoever are the instruments, God is the principal agent of it. But his inference from this truth was foolish and wicked: What should I wait for the Lord any longer? When Eli, and David, and Job, said, It is of the Lord, they grew patient upon it, but this bad man grew outrageous upon it: "I will neither fear worse nor expect better, for worse cannot come and better never will come: we are all undone, and there is no remedy." It is an unreasonable thing to be weary of waiting for God, for he is a God of judgment, and blessed are all those that wait for him.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 24–33. Public domain.
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Ephrem the SyrianAD 373
ON THE SECOND BOOK OF KINGS 6:24
“Some time later King Ben-hadad of Aram mustered his entire army; he marched against Samaria and laid siege to it.” This is that Ben-hadad who had been condemned to death by God; and Ahab had received the order to execute him. But he spared his life and sent him back in peace. Therefore the Arameans besieged the city and prolonged the siege for many days, because their army occupied the whole surrounding area, so that bread began to be more and more scarce, and famine ruled. And when [the citizens] did not find the usual sustenance and food, they fell on the corpses of the dead. For the Scripture relates that there were certain mothers who decided to kill their children to assuage their hunger. And after one of them had put her son to death, when her companion in crime hid her own son (in order to save him) and broke the contract, an argument rose between them, and they both went before the judge. And they began to expound their reasons before the king, that is, Jehoram, the son of Ahab. The king, seeing that that was a harsh trial for him, was taken over by a violent rage against Elisha. For he thought [the prophet] was the cause of his disaster. Therefore he said, “Yesterday he gave abundant goods to Aramean robbers, and today has given sufficient bread to his disciples, and they are not lacking food, but he has no care for the people of his city and abandons them in their need.” And he swore that on that day itself he would take revenge on Elisha for the blood of his people. But Jehoram had no right to accuse the prophet, but rather Ahab, his father, who had scorned the prophets. In fact, if he had been persuaded by their words and had killed Ben-hadad, that [king] would have never besieged Samaria and would have never thrown him into such calamities.From the symbolic point of view the atrocious famine which tortured the Samaritans for so many days and forced them to eat in such an abominable manner shows the lack of heavenly nourishment, which affected in those days all the nations of the earth. So the city of Samaria signifies the whole of humankind, and its famine represents the famine of all. But Elisha made it disappear through his prayer, as well as through the grace of Christ. The sick were fortified by his strength, and “those who were full hired themselves out for bread.” This means that the apostles, announcers [of the gospel], have transmitted to the Gentiles the knowledge of salvation, and it has flowed, as Isaiah predicted, like “the waters covering the sea.” In the same manner it had been decreed before God that the hungry should eat the crop of the foolish and that the thirsty should absorb his goods, as the friend of the righteous Job said. Indeed, as the Samaritans plundered the food that they had collected for the Arameans and the needs of their army and brought it into their army, so the church of the Gentiles took the holy books which were preserved in the Hebrew synagogues, and gave them for the benefit of their descendants.
Ephrem the SyrianAD 373
ON THE SECOND BOOK OF KINGS 6:25
“Famine in Samaria became so great that a donkey’s head was sold for eighty shekels of silver.” The donkey’s head, which the Scripture reports here to be so expensive, signifies the teaching coming from the ravings of the philosophers and the scientists of the world. And it was an abominable and rotting food but was very precious when the famine reigned over the earth, and there was no one to break and give the bread to those children who asked for it, that is, until the advent of Christ.“And one-fourth of a kab of dove’s dung [was sold] for five shekels of silver.” Even though the symbol is contrary—in fact, it does not fit in with the Word—but because the righteous are likened to a dove, we say that the kab of dove’s dung represents the teaching of the law of Moses, if we compare it with the gospel of Christ. So it can be said that it was mud, a mud precious to the Jews at that time, with which they covered their eyes, which were to be opened soon by the spiritual bath and the gospel of Christ.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Second Kings 6:25 offers a harrowing depiction of the extreme suffering endured by the inhabitants of Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, during a severe and prolonged siege by the Aramaean army. This verse vividly illustrates the devastating impact of the resulting famine, forcing the city's residents to resort to unimaginable and culturally forbidden measures for survival, highlighting the profound depths of desperation reached as a consequence of the siege.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: This verse immediately follows the commencement of the Aramaean siege of Samaria under King Ben-hadad, as detailed in 2 Kings 6:24. It serves to establish the dire circumstances that precede the dramatic prophetic intervention of Elisha, setting the stage for his audacious prophecy of abundance in 2 Kings 7:1. The graphic portrayal of starvation in 2 Kings 6:25 is crucial for magnifying the miraculous nature of God's subsequent deliverance and the undeniable fulfillment of Elisha's word, thereby emphasizing divine power in the face of human impossibility.
Historical & Cultural Context: The historical backdrop is Samaria, the capital of Israel, during a period of intense and often violent conflict with Aram (Syria). Sieges were a common, brutal tactic in ancient warfare, designed to starve a city into submission by cutting off all supplies. The prices quoted for an "ass's head" and "dove's dung" are astronomically high, reflecting an economic collapse and the complete breakdown of normal societal functions under the duress of the famine. Culturally, the consumption of an ass (donkey) was strictly forbidden by Mosaic Law, as it was considered an unclean animal (see Leviticus 11:4). The desperate acts described in 2 Kings 6:25 illustrate that even profound religious and cultural taboos were overridden by the primal instinct for survival.
Key Themes: This verse powerfully underscores themes of extreme desperation and scarcity, vividly illustrating the horrific consequences of famine within a besieged city. It implicitly highlights the severity of divine judgment, as such suffering often aligns with the covenant curses for disobedience warned in Deuteronomy 28:53. Furthermore, the verse serves as a crucial setup for the theme of God's miraculous provision and deliverance in the face of human impossibility, which is dramatically fulfilled in the subsequent chapter. The narrative demonstrates that even in the bleakest circumstances, God's power can bring about unexpected salvation, transforming utter despair into hope, as seen in the broader context of 2 Kings 7.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse employs several powerful literary devices to convey the horrific conditions within besieged Samaria. Hyperbole is strikingly evident in the astronomical prices quoted for items normally considered worthless or inedible, such as an ass's head and dove's dung. This exaggeration serves to emphasize the unparalleled scarcity and the extreme desperation of the inhabitants, making the situation almost unbelievable yet tragically real. Vivid Imagery is masterfully used to paint a gruesome and visceral picture for the reader, forcing them to confront the reality of starvation that drives people to consume ritually unclean animals and what is essentially refuse. The stark contrast between the inherent worthlessness of the items and their exorbitant prices creates a profound sense of Irony, highlighting the complete breakdown of societal norms, economic values, and even religious taboos under the duress of the famine.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This verse, while graphically depicting human suffering, also serves as a profound theological statement about the consequences of covenant disobedience and God's ultimate sovereignty. The horrific conditions in Samaria resonate deeply with the curses outlined in the Mosaic Law for Israel's unfaithfulness, particularly the chilling warning that they would be driven to cannibalism and consuming unclean things in times of siege (Deuteronomy 28:53-57). Yet, even in this bleakest moment, the narrative sets the stage for God's miraculous intervention through Elisha, demonstrating His power to provide and deliver His people, even when all human hope is lost. It underscores that while God's judgment can be severe, it is not His final word, and His compassion can break through the most desperate circumstances, transforming scarcity into abundance.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The grim reality portrayed in 2 Kings 6:25 serves as a stark reminder of the devastating toll that extreme adversity, particularly famine and war, can inflict upon humanity. It forces us to confront the depths of human suffering and the primal instinct for survival that can override even deeply ingrained cultural and religious norms. For believers, this account, situated within the broader narrative of God's interaction with Israel, offers a powerful lesson in divine providence. It highlights that even when circumstances appear utterly hopeless and human ingenuity is exhausted, God's power to intervene and provide remains unfathomable. This passage encourages us to trust in God's faithfulness even in our most desperate moments, knowing that His deliverance can come in unexpected and miraculous ways, transforming scarcity into abundance and despair into hope. It challenges us to consider our own responses to hardship and to cultivate a deeper reliance on God's sustaining grace, recognizing that true provision ultimately comes from Him.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What exactly was "dove's dung" and why was it so expensive?
Answer: The phrase "dove's dung" (Hebrew: dibyôwn) in 2 Kings 6:25 is a subject of scholarly debate. While some interpret it literally as bird droppings, consumed out of extreme desperation, a more widely accepted view suggests it refers to a type of inexpensive plant food. This could be carob pods, which were often used as animal fodder but are edible for humans, or another type of bulbous root or pulse that was colloquially named "dove's dung" due to its appearance or low value. Regardless of the precise botanical identification, its mention at an exorbitant price (five pieces of silver for a mere "fourth part of a cab," a very small measure) powerfully conveys the unprecedented scarcity of food during the siege of Samaria. The high price reflects the hyperinflation and the dire need for any form of sustenance, no matter how unpalatable or low in nutritional value.
Why would an "ass's head" be sold, especially given its ritual impurity?
Answer: The sale of an "ass's head" for 80 pieces of silver in 2 Kings 6:25 is a shocking detail that underscores the extreme severity of the famine. According to Mosaic Law, donkeys were considered unclean animals (Leviticus 11:4), meaning their flesh was forbidden for consumption by Israelites. The fact that an ass's head, an undesirable and ritually impure part of an unclean animal, was sold for such an astronomical sum indicates that the inhabitants of Samaria had reached the absolute peak of desperation. All other food sources, even those normally considered undesirable but clean, had been exhausted. Survival instincts completely overrode religious laws and cultural norms, highlighting the horrific conditions within the besieged city and the complete breakdown of societal order.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The desperate scene in 2 Kings 6:25, with its vivid portrayal of famine and human suffering, finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus, who is the true bread of life and the ultimate deliverer from spiritual starvation. Just as Samaria was besieged and cut off from physical sustenance, humanity, in its fallen state, is besieged by sin and cut off from the life-giving presence of God, leading to a spiritual famine far more devastating than any physical hunger (Amos 8:11). The astronomical prices paid for worthless sustenance in Samaria tragically foreshadow the futility of human attempts to satisfy spiritual hunger through worldly pursuits or self-righteousness, which ultimately offer no lasting nourishment (Isaiah 55:2). Jesus, however, comes as the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, offering Himself as the ultimate sacrifice to break the siege of sin and death. He declares, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst". Through His atoning work on the cross, He provides true and eternal sustenance, freely available to all who believe, without price or merit (Romans 6:23). The miraculous deliverance of Samaria from famine in 2 Kings 7 serves as a powerful Old Testament type of the infinitely greater deliverance and abundant provision found in Christ, who satisfies the deepest longings of the human soul and brings us into everlasting life (John 10:10).