28 And the king said to her, What is troubling you? And she said in answer, This woman said to me, Give your son to be our food today, and we will have my son tomorrow.
Crying out to them. And the Danites, turning round, said to Micah, What is your trouble, that you have taken up arms?
And the king said to her, What is your trouble? And her answer was, Truly I am a widow, and my husband is dead.
And the boy's cry came to the ears of God; and the angel of God said to Hagar from heaven, Hagar, why are you weeping? have no fear, for the child's cry has come to the ears of God.
Then you will take the flesh of your sons and the flesh of your daughters for food;
And your food will be the fruit of your body, the flesh of the sons and daughters which the Lord your God has given you; because of your bitter need and the cruel grip of your haters. That man among you who is soft and used to comfort will be hard and cruel to his brother, and to his dear wife, and to of those his children who are still living; And will not give to any of them the flesh of his children which will be his food because he has no other; in the cruel grip of your haters on all your towns. The most soft and delicate of your women, who would not so much as put her foot on the earth, so delicate is she, will be hard-hearted to her husband and to her son and to her daughter; And to her baby newly come to birth, and to the children of her body; for having no other food, she will make a meal of them secretly, because of her bitter need and the cruel grip of your haters on all your towns.
Then her husband Elkanah said to her, Hannah, why are you weeping? and why are you taking no food? why is your heart troubled? am I not more to you than ten sons?
What was wrong with you, O sea, that you went in flight? O Jordan, that you were turned back?
On the right a man was cutting off bits and was still in need; on the left a man took a meal but had not enough; no man had pity on his brother; every man was making a meal of the flesh of his neighbour. Manasseh was making a meal of Ephraim, and Ephraim of Manasseh; and together they were attacking Judah. For all this his wrath is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
The word about the valley of vision. Why have all your people gone up to the house-tops?
Will a woman give up the child at her breast, will she be without pity for the fruit of her body? yes, these may, but I will not let you go out of my memory.
And let not him who is in the field go back to get his coat. But it will be hard for women who are with child and for those with babies at the breast in those days. And say a prayer that your flight may not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath. Because in those days there will be great sorrow, such as there has not been from the start of the world till now, or ever will be.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 2 Kings 6
Commentary on 2 Kings 6 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 6
In this chapter we have,
The relief of it is another of the wonders wrought by Elisha's word, which we shall have the story of in the next chapter. Elisha is still a great blessing both to church and state, both to the sons of the prophets and to his prince.
2Ki 6:1-7
Several things may be observed here,
2Ki 6:8-12
Here we have Elisha, with his spirit of prophecy, serving the king, as before helping the sons of the prophets; for that, as other gifts, is given to every man to profit withal; and, whatever abilities any man has of doing good, he is by them made a debtor both to the wise and unwise. Observe here,
2Ki 6:13-23
Here is,
2Ki 6:24-33
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,