2 Kings 6:27

And he said, If the LORD do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress?

And he said {H559}, If the LORD {H3068} do not help {H3467} thee, whence {H370} shall I help {H3467} thee? out of the barnfloor {H1637}, or out of the winepress {H3342}?

He said, "If ADONAI isn't helping you, how do you expect me to help you? There isn't any grain, and there isn't any wine."

He answered, โ€œIf the LORD does not help you, where can I find help for you? From the threshing floor or the winepress?โ€

And he said, If Jehovah do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the threshing-floor, or out of the winepress?

Commentary

In 2 Kings 6:27, King Jehoram of Israel responds to a desperate woman's plea for help during a devastating famine in Samaria. His words reveal the extreme conditions and his own perceived powerlessness, redirecting the focus to the ultimate source of all help.

Context

This verse is set during a severe siege of Samaria, the capital of Israel, by Ben-hadad, king of Syria (Arameans), as described in 2 Kings 6:24. The siege had led to an agonizing famine, pushing the inhabitants to extreme desperation, including acts of cannibalism (2 Kings 6:28-29). A woman appeals to King Jehoram for justice, indicating she had an agreement with another woman concerning their children for food. The king, upon hearing her plight, tears his clothes in distress, revealing his inner anguish and helplessness in the face of such widespread suffering and resource depletion.

Key Themes

  • Human Helplessness: King Jehoram's rhetorical question, "If the LORD do not help thee, whence shall I help thee?", starkly illustrates the limits of human power and resources, even for a king, in the face of divine judgment or overwhelming circumstances.
  • Divine Sovereignty and Provision: The king's statement, though born of despair, implicitly acknowledges that true and ultimate help comes from God. It highlights the principle that God is the ultimate provider and deliverer, especially when all human means fail. This sets the stage for the miraculous intervention that follows in the next chapter through Elisha's prophecy.
  • Extreme Famine and Desperation: The mention of "barnfloor" (where grain was threshed) and "winepress" (where wine and oil were made) emphasizes the complete depletion of food and drink supplies. These were the primary sources of sustenance, and their emptiness signified utter destitution.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew terms for "barnfloor" (ื’ึผึนืจึถืŸ - goren) and "winepress" (ื™ึถืงึถื‘ - yekev) are significant. They represent the agricultural mainstays of ancient Israelite life โ€“ grain and the produce of the vine and olive tree. By stating he had no help "out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress," King Jehoram was declaring that there were absolutely no reserves left, no food, no drink, nothing from the land to sustain his people. His treasury might have been empty, but more critically, the very sources of life were barren, symbolizing total economic and existential collapse.

Practical Application

This verse serves as a powerful reminder that there are situations in life where human effort, resources, and power are utterly insufficient. When we face overwhelming challenges, despair, or seemingly impossible circumstances โ€“ be it personal struggles, societal crises, or even global events โ€“ our ultimate hope and help must come from a higher power. King Jehoram's words, though spoken in desperation, point us to the truth that our true and ultimate help comes from the Lord. It encourages us to turn to God in prayer and faith, even when all earthly avenues seem closed, trusting in His divine sovereignty and ability to provide beyond human capacity, as He eventually did for Samaria.

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Cross-References

  • Psalms 118:8 (3 votes)

    [It is] better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.

  • Psalms 118:9 (3 votes)

    [It is] better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.

  • Psalms 62:8 (2 votes)

    ยถ Trust in him at all times; [ye] people, pour out your heart before him: God [is] a refuge for us. Selah.

  • Psalms 124:1 (2 votes)

    ยถ A Song of degrees of David. If [it had not been] the LORD who was on our side, now may Israel say;

  • Psalms 124:3 (2 votes)

    Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us:

  • Jeremiah 17:5 (2 votes)

    ยถ Thus saith the LORD; Cursed [be] the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.

  • Psalms 146:3 (2 votes)

    Put not your trust in princes, [nor] in the son of man, in whom [there is] no help.