TRV
Translation
King James Version
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.
Complete Jewish Bible
When the king heard what the woman said, he tore his clothes. At the time, he was passing by on the wall; and when the people looked, they saw him there with sackcloth against his skin.
Berean Standard Bible
When 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.
American Standard Version
And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes (now he was passing by upon the wall); and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh.
World English Bible Messianic
When the king heard the words of the woman, he tore his clothes (now he was passing by on the wall); and the people looked, and behold, he had sackcloth underneath on his flesh.
Geneva Bible (1599)
And when the King had heard the wordes of the woman, he rent his clothes, (and as he went vpon the wall, the people looked, and behold, he had sackecloth within vpon his flesh)
Young's Literal Translation
And it cometh to pass, at the king's hearing the words of the woman, that he rendeth his garments, and he is passing by on the wall, and the people see, and lo, the sackcloth is on his flesh within.
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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 6:30 vividly portrays King Jehoram's profound reaction to the horrific revelation of cannibalism during the severe Syrian siege of Samaria. His public act of rending his clothes, a culturally significant display of grief and despair, is immediately followed by the shocking discovery that he had been secretly wearing sackcloth directly upon his flesh beneath his royal garments. This verse powerfully unveils the king's deep, hidden anguish and personal humility in the face of national catastrophe, painting a complex portrait of a leader grappling with immense suffering, divine judgment, and a private spiritual struggle.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: This verse serves as the climactic and visceral response to one of the most harrowing accounts in the Old Testament. Immediately preceding it, two women appeal to King Jehoram, revealing a desperate and horrifying pact to boil and eat their own children due a severe famine in besieged Samaria, a direct consequence of the prolonged Aramean siege (2 Kings 6:28-29). The king's reaction in verse 30 is a direct and intense consequence of this unimaginable revelation, signifying the absolute nadir of the city's suffering and the extreme desperation of its inhabitants. This pivotal moment also sets the stage for King Jehoram's subsequent anger towards Elisha, whom he blames for the calamity, and, crucially, Elisha's miraculous prophecy of abundant deliverance in the very next chapter (2 Kings 7:1). The narrative moves from the depths of human depravity and suffering to the cusp of divine intervention.
Historical & Cultural Context: The events described unfold during a prolonged siege of Samaria by the Aramean (Syrian) army under King Ben-hadad, a common and brutal tactic in ancient warfare designed to starve a city into submission. Famine was a devastating and frequently employed weapon, often leading to extreme measures, including the abhorrent act of cannibalism, which was considered an ultimate curse and a dire sign of divine judgment for covenant disobedience, as explicitly warned in the Mosaic Law (Deuteronomy 28:53-57). The cultural practices of "rending clothes" (Hebrew: qara' begadim) and wearing "sackcloth" (Hebrew: saq) were deeply embedded and universally understood expressions of profound grief, shock, mourning, or repentance in ancient Israel. These acts were often associated with a turning to God in times of national calamity or personal distress, signifying humility and supplication (Isaiah 37:1-2).
Key Themes: This verse powerfully illustrates several significant themes. Firstly, it underscores the theme of human desperation under divine judgment, highlighting the extreme suffering and moral degradation brought about by the siege and famine. Secondly, it introduces the profound theme of hidden humility and lament, as the king's private wearing of sackcloth contrasts sharply with his public persona and initial outburst of anger. This duality underscores the tension between outward appearance and inner reality, suggesting that true spiritual distress, lament, and a turning towards God can occur even in unexpected places and in the hearts of seemingly unrighteous leaders. Furthermore, it implicitly points to the severity of God's judgment upon a disobedient nation, even as it subtly foreshadows the potential for divine mercy and intervention in response to a leader's (even if private) lament and the eventual intercession of God's prophet, Elisha.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse is rich in Symbolism, with the tearing of clothes symbolizing profound distress and the wearing of sackcloth symbolizing deep mourning, humility, and repentance. This creates a powerful Irony and Dramatic Irony: the king's public display of anger and despair is dramatically juxtaposed with his hidden, private act of self-abasement. The audience is privy to a truth about the king's inner state that the people on the wall only discover at that very moment of revelation. This stark contrast highlights the king's dual role as a public figure burdened by leadership and a private individual grappling with a profound spiritual crisis. The unexpected revelation also serves as a subtle Foreshadowing, hinting that despite the extreme despair and the king's initial unrighteousness, there is a hidden element of humility or turning to God that might precede divine intervention, setting the stage for Elisha's subsequent prophecy of deliverance.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
King Jehoram's hidden sackcloth offers a profound theological insight into the nature of true spiritual posture and God's perception of the human heart. While his public actions might have been inconsistent or initially driven by anger, his private act of wearing sackcloth suggests a deep, personal acknowledgment of the crisis's spiritual dimensions and perhaps a turning towards God in humility and lament. This aligns with the biblical principle that God looks beyond outward appearances to the condition of the heart, valuing internal brokenness over external show. Even a king, burdened by the immense weight of his office and the suffering of his people, can engage in a private act of contrition that God observes and, in His sovereignty, can respond to. This hidden humility, though not immediately leading to a public declaration of repentance or a complete transformation of character, sets the stage for God's compassionate response to the nation's plight through the prophet Elisha, demonstrating God's attentiveness to even the faintest glimmer of a contrite spirit.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
King Jehoram's hidden sackcloth serves as a poignant reminder that our true spiritual state is often revealed not by our public pronouncements or outward displays, but by the quiet, private postures of our hearts before God. In moments of profound crisis, whether personal or collective, there is a deep spiritual imperative to humble ourselves, to lament, and to seek God's face, even if such acts remain unseen by others. This passage challenges us to consider the authenticity of our faith and repentance: is it merely for show, or does it stem from a genuine, internal brokenness and a desire to align ourselves with God's will? The king's example, though imperfect and complex, underscores the immense burden of leadership and the profound need for leaders to cultivate a private spiritual life that can sustain them through unimaginable pressures. It also offers a glimmer of hope that God sees and responds to even the most hidden expressions of humility and sorrow, paving the way for His grace and intervention, even when full and consistent repentance is yet to be realized.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did the king wear sackcloth secretly?
Answer: King Jehoram likely wore sackcloth secretly to navigate the complex demands of his public role as a strong, authoritative leader while privately grappling with immense anguish and perhaps a personal sense of lament or repentance before God. In a time of extreme crisis and national despair, publicly displaying sackcloth might have been perceived as a sign of weakness, complete surrender to despair, or an admission of guilt, potentially undermining the morale of his besieged people. By wearing it "within upon his flesh," he could maintain a facade of control and strength for his subjects while privately acknowledging the dire situation, mourning the suffering of his people, and perhaps even seeking divine mercy for himself and his kingdom. It highlights the profound tension between his royal duty and his personal, spiritual burden.
Does this act of the king indicate genuine repentance?
Answer: While the act of wearing sackcloth traditionally signified repentance and humility in ancient Israel, King Jehoram's overall character and subsequent actions in 2 Kings suggest a complex and often inconsistent faith, making a definitive judgment of "genuine repentance" difficult. His immediate reaction in 2 Kings 6:31, for example, is to blame Elisha and vow to kill him, indicating a lack of full understanding or consistent turning to God. Therefore, his hidden sackcloth likely indicates a profound personal distress, a recognition of the severity of the crisis, and a form of lament or self-affliction, rather than a complete, transformative repentance that leads to consistent obedience and a changed heart. It presents a nuanced picture of a leader under unimaginable pressure, capable of private humility and sorrow even amidst public anger and spiritual confusion.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
King Jehoram's hidden sackcloth, a private act of humility and lament in the face of national calamity, finds its ultimate and perfect fulfillment in Jesus Christ. While Jehoram's act was a limited, imperfect response to a temporal crisis, Jesus, the true King, embraced the ultimate "sackcloth" of human flesh and suffering not in secret, but openly and perfectly for the salvation of humanity. The Son of God, though He was rich, for our sake became poor (2 Corinthians 8:9), taking on the form of a servant and humbling Himself even to the point of death on a cross (Philippians 2:7-8). He bore the "sackcloth" of our sins and the judgment due to us, not hidden beneath royal robes, but publicly displayed on Calvary's hill (Isaiah 53:4-5), so that we might be clothed in His righteousness. Unlike Jehoram, whose hidden sorrow was a response to a famine of bread and a sign of his own limited understanding, Jesus is the Bread of Life who offers eternal sustenance to a world starving for spiritual truth and deliverance from sin (John 6:35). His suffering and humiliation were not a sign of despair or a private struggle, but the very means by which He secured our eternal hope, reconciled us to God, and opened the way to abundant life.